Flying high with the single Zoom Zoom, this four-track EP of the same name sees indie pop artist Vincent Barrea soar with both his songwriting and his characterful performance style. The single itself kicks off the project and drives with a spacious yet colourful pop feel, great rhythm and a cool yet quickly engaging melody fall down around you. Production-wise things are kept simple yet vibrant – with a few specific intricacies that help give the whole thing personality and positive energy.
The Kovalenco Gennadi Remix follows the opener and sees Barrea’s voice laid even more bare to begin with – the tone and the style, the accent, the laid-back yet passionate approach to performance – then as the soundscape builds an entirely new take on the song starts to fill the room.
The groove or bounce here is superb, the track offers up some additional elements and layers that help make it feel like a completely new piece. The vocals stand tall, crystal clear and all the more confident seeming in this setting. Then you get the drop, fragments of tribal musicality and beach-side or dance-hall vibes intertwine and cascade around you. What was already an energizing song in itself is suddenly something impressively uplifting and with a brand new and compelling set-up to it. A brilliant way to compliment the original essence of Zoom Zoom.
Also in included on the EP is the smooth and mellow dance-pop inspired Save My Life. Barrea gets all the more personal, honest, and endearing in being so. This quickly grows to be the perfect kind of track to escape to at sunset. The tribal dance vibes hit after the hook, but before this the gentle and dreamlike progression paves the way beautifully. Soon enough, Barrea utilizes both softness and grit to craft the experience. Again, more of that character and creativity pours through. The hook and subsequent drop are unexpected, yet they fit brilliantly – you come to appreciate this freedom, this lost-in-the-moment sentiment that passes onto you as you listen.
Bringing the EP to a close is the even more personal and revealing track that is I’m Not Afraid. This song sees Barrea reach his most soulful and entrancing peak, captivating the listener with unpredictable lyricism and a story-line that fascinates and simultaneously lets depth and openness really connect. The verses drive with a mellow sort of tiredness, which suits the reflective lyrics perfectly well. This is an absolute highlight, there’s something authentically fresh about the track – distorted vocals contrast with lighter snippets of vocals to create a vast and immersive soundscape.
From a songwriting perspective, there’s a lot to embrace on this project. Where the tracks do feature elements of familiarity from the pop and dance worlds alike, there’s actually plenty within each one that leans in the direction of originality and provocative perspectives. This final song in particular highlights this well. So much so that when you then go back and listen through the full EP again, the music reaches out and connects in a totally new way. Vincent Barrea showcases a clear passion for writing and performing throughout Zoom Zoom. In addition, the five songs are surprisingly eclectic – each one unique in its own right. Absolute worth a download – every track is the sort that would be welcomed each time it reappeared in the long-term playlist.
Download the EP via iTunes or stream it on Spotify. Find & follow Vincent Barrea on Soundcloud.
