“They like it when I smile, not when I speak.”
Raina Wiles sets the mood beautifully for this project – an opening line and ambiance fit to captivate, for an EP that evocatively follows suit.
Glass Skin is divine, a lo-fi trip hop project with a soul-pop vocal lead, and lyrics that pierce through the noise as soulful reflections on life for a girl in the modern world.
Lush vocals provide dreamy melodies to meet with the depth and vulnerability of the lyrics. The title-track is powerful, gentle and modest but compelling – an original take on a broadly familiar topic, and perfectly presented by Raina. The song introduces the five tracks of the EP in a way that quickly gets you hooked, this kind of humble but empowering reflection intoxicating amidst the trip hop groove and breathy delivery.
These qualities continue, with Baby Blue Light softening the mood for romantic longing and a certain ethereal distance. Then for Longing To Be Held, we get a subtle change in set-up, a catchy summer melody and mood, and something a little more Corinne Bailey Rae meets Olivia Rodrigo in the performance and vibe.
In My Bed later leans towards the likes of Billie Eilish just subtly, a breathy intimacy digging into both the revelations and relatable threads of songwriting, with a smooth and sultry jazz-pop resolve. And to finish, I Let My Emotions Get The Best Of Me is superb, another highlight to bookend this short but striking collection, and a contemporary contender that’s an easy must for the alt-pop playlists of the summer. A great hook, a long-form title and a memorable melody, which lingers long after the music has ended.
Raina Wiles aims high and hits the mark with this EP. Glass Skin is fearlessly honest, charming, romantic, alluring, and impressive. A finely produced and intriguingly written introduction, to an artist well worth knowing about this year.
Find Raina Wiles on Apple, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook & Instagram.
