Dreamy lo-fi keys and distant, reverb-kissed vocals present an enchanting alt-pop arena of sound, within which songwriter and artist Pola delivers delicate vocals, and poetic, often profound insights. Reflecting on a new found connection with God, Electrify My Heart is a unique four-track EP, which introduces the ethereal tones and divine images of Pola’s songwriting and style in a softly powerful way.
Beginning with the inspiring sentiments of The World Needs Love, we’re introduced to a simple four-chord format, with sweeping layers and interesting rhythms lighting up the outer edges. All the while, the song reads like a poem, projecting a sense of gratitude for the natural beauty of the world, and at the same time motivating a sense of unity and love that rings loudly.
After this, Emerald Sea moves into a more guitar-led or shoegaze-style nostalgic offering. The song is enchanting in its descending then resolving melody, and the production is exotic – these long form ideas backed by an ocean of colourful music and ambient calm. The music and writing underline a sense of capturing serenity amidst the storm, and that concept and stylistic achievement is very much the beating heart of these songs.
Creative production continues to intrigue for This Is How It All Began, old-school programmed rhythms are light but interesting, almost trip-hop-like, and the vocals balance uncertainty and optimism, melancholy and celebration, as we venture into more poetic images. It’s story that’s revealing, dark butt hopeful, and ultimately mighty in its alternative setting. The chorus is a striking and unorthodox choir of voices, a twisting melody and a force that again underlines the sentiments at work lyrically, and the track is, in short, piercingly unusual, beautiful and haunting, and easily an artistic highlight for how seamlessly it captivates.
Finally, the leading single from the project, the title-track Electrify My Heart leans towards eighties tumbling rhythms and vocal harmonies, almost Kate-Bush like in its theatrical presence and emotional depth, for a catchy song of desperation and subsequent connection that’s profound and evocative. The soundscape is organic and multi-layered, the crescendo is huge, and the energy – the passion of the chorus and peak – helps make this another defiant highlight, and a superb introduction to the delicacy and drama that walk hand-in-hand throughout this EP.
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