“Drained of the woman she once was, death must come before new life…”
Bringing together intriguing conceptual stories and retro, catchy production and hooks, Emalyon captures a perfectly unique and stylish new sound, with the haunting themes, ambiances, and upbeat jams, of In The Forests of the Night.
As an introduction to what is genuinely one of the most interesting and likable new projects of recent months, Lick Bite Lick is brilliantly diverse in itself – an ever-changing audio landscape of melodies, characters, vocal styles, grooves, and an ongoing dedication to this part-one story of the Vampire.
EMALYON is a self-contained act, providing all writing, production, musicianship and mastering entirely as a solo artist. The new album is not just an infectious and stylish collection of timeless electro-funk, trip hop, and dance-pop songs, but it also emerges complete with an audio-visual experience to accompany the musical journey.
Versatility is central to the creative and soulful to playful diversity of this album, and this is clear from the early shift to something evocative and intimate, for WICKED BLOOD.
This track is equally engaging, an earworm once again, but with completely different qualities to the opener. And still we venture deeper into this realm of the Vampire. The retro and spacious minimalism of a trip-hop to electronic rock arrangement help make this a personal favourite, and so too is the enchanting and even seductive follow-up blood bank. Contrast works its magic powerfully first though, as we approach the mid-section of WICKED BLOOD, where intimacy evolves quickly into passion and weight.
For Black Widow, something like old-school alternative rave music meets with a theatrical vocal dynamic, before Woman in the Wolf Shirt injects something alt-rock-like as it gathers slick guitar momentum around a soulful but unsettling melodic rise and fall. Basslines and overtones add a touch of Rocky Horror to certain moments, helping reinforce the audio-visual conceptualisation at the helm.
“I can hear your voice, but what are you saying?” – Scratch Fever is quite beautiful, achingly genuine in performance, musically atmospheric and hypnotic. Then for Werewolf, an immediate awareness of part-two of this three-part album, we’re presented with an indie-pop anthem that’s playful and loaded with familiar imagery but unexpected melodic shifts alongside.
The alternative trip hop aura returns for creative enchantment as we venture into Honey Eyes, and the subsequent track BUFFY SUMMERS. There’s something gentle, evocative, provocative, about this progression of quiet and calming songs, and it really illuminates another side of the Emalyon artistic aura.
Part three of In the Forests of the Night tells the story of Witch, and includes the acoustic finger-picking and poetic imagery of Witches Gather, and the starkly contrasted retro-funk electronica of CAT CAT. Then to follow, the emotional warmth and wonder of an instrumental Strawberry Moon seems ideally placed for unexpected connection and impact.
To finish, a stripped-back piano and vocal pairing, breathy vocals lightly layered, for an eerie but also deeply moving performance – The Gates is modest but clever in compelling you to tune in more closely, for these quiet and contemplative closing moments.
Great vocals, great production – versatile but also skilful and purposeful, letting each story and performance allure, enthral, and even energise its listener. Emalyon achieves something distinct and captivating with this album, nuance and identity ring loudly, and the music is a pleasure to escape into.
Find Emalyon on Bluesky, Instagram.
