Continuing her rightful climb as an ambitious and contemplative indie musician, Kristi Jacques‘ highly-anticipated album Mosaic emerges with every bit of heart, passion and melodic embrace expected, and plenty more alongside that.
From the opening moments of a pop-rock and country-kissed Mama, I Love You, the subject matter feels deeply personal, while the set-up and melody prove accessible, relatable, and easy to get into.
Kristi manages the delicate nuances and heavier rock lifts with equal precision and soul – it’s subtle but effective, making all eight of these original songs a natural pleasure to escape into.
Devoted to telling Kristi’s own story with all of its highs and lows, Mosaic acts as an artistic encapsulation of the many pieces of a life – the experiences, the influences, and everything that mattered along the way. As such, it arrives as a notably eclectic collection, complete with both quiet musings and soaring guitar solos; all to keep those waves rising and falling with hypnotic appeal.
The title-track follows the opener and distorted pop-punk energy strikes with another catchy melody and a suddenly revealing vulnerability; all of which ultimately connects and energises in the same instance.
Don’t Let Go sets the mood with ease, guitar and piano uniting for a uniquely colourful and reflective song – the first to invite the listener to play protagonist. It feels like your own song, and the performance is aptly softer at times, breathy and alluring in the lead up to an uplifting and comforting, inspiring hook. A personal favourite.
After this, Kristi reaches straight for the heart-strings, as Just Once falls into view with the mellow swagger and longing of a country-rock ballad.
Showcasing a clear awareness of the importance of arrangement, Work In Progress appears at just the right time – overcoming the prior melancholy with a touch of brightness and a heavier yet poetic hook to match. The song switches gears and changes the mood of the room in the process. Another favourite.
During the final third, In Plain Sight makes an unmistakable appearance, that chord progression and tone reminding us of the initial strength of Kristi’s writing that first impressed earlier in the summer. A huge song, and all the more engaging this time around for its familiar and empowering call-out.
At the penultimate moment, Mosaic cranks up the distortion a little and gets all the more contemplative and personal, with the captivating and arena-ready escapism of Limitless. Then to finish, the absolute style and melodic brilliance of Get Outta My Way makes for an explosive and unforgettable final curtain. Those doubled-vocals, short lines and the simplicity in the build-up to that heavier presence, again proves unmistakable. The hook is impossible to disconnect from at volume – it lures you in and quickly gets you singing along with equal emotion and weight.
Brilliantly-crafted, all in all – every bit as enjoyable as the singles yet also unexpectedly diverse, and considerably authentic in its thoughtful and fearlessly open state. Mosaic is an indie classic; well worth diving into this season.
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