Artistic well-wishes arrive just in time for this Halloween – Medea’s return introduces itself with the breathy and haunting lyric ‘You’re always alone’, but is quick to uplift and soothe with a subsequently soulful groove and beauty. GhostBox is the new EP from the Philadelphia band, and Moon is the seductive and deeply reflective opening track.
Boldly passionate yet blissfully gentle in meandering through these long-form verses of vulnerability and connection, Moon presents the poetic contemplations of Medea in a softly gripping, professional and powerful manner.
From the intimacy of the opening moments, right through to the piano solo and live crash of the drums, the set-up consumes the listener, feeling all at once relatable and profoundly personal. A stunning track one, and three left to enjoy as GhostBox continues its journey.
Irene Lambrou’s enchanting to mighty vocals guide us through the entire project. GhostBox, the title-track, veers off towards soul and jazz with a blues-like stomp of a rhythm, and still those unmistakable and faultless vocals lead the way – and maintain the recognizable threads that are tone and poetic exploration of topic.
Aptly mysterious lyrically, GhostBox is the kind of EP to invite repeat listening sessions – the short yet enjoyable collection just eclectic enough to hold interest, and beautifully thoughtful within that versatility.
Broken flows through with acoustic guitar hopefully picked, a touch of shaker and a mellow rise and fall melody, again bridging the gap well between that which is distinctly personal and that which is more vague and broadly accessible. We even evolve through a much brighter musical mid-section here, a structural shift cleverly juxtaposing the darkness and depth of this deep-dive into brokenness.
The production of this EP is subtle but quite perfect, the band take their time to capture a live sense of escapism – the subtlety of a jazz-kissed closing track Cry a perfect example – the recording allows that strength to shine naturally. It’s something that’s been said before, but it bears repeating – Medea are no doubt on top form on the stage as much so as in the studio. An evocative and talented five-piece, all contributing equal warmth and melancholy to this brilliantly encompassing release.
Download GhostBox via Bandcamp. Find Medea on Facebook, Instagram & their Website.
