The artist $haun Porter impresses with entrancing soundscapes, effective melodies, and a notable sense of depth within his writing. This EP in full – Love Over Death – is conceptually considerate, often profound, and always deeply personal.
Curtains kicks off with all of this and more – a crisp finish allows the natural emotion and rhythm of the song to shine brightly. There’s an isolated aura of darkness to the whole EP, the artwork and these opening moments from Intro through to Cry No More encapsulate that well. Delicate ambiances that are easy to escape within are accompanied by thoughtful lyricism and a gorgeously capable leading voice. It all feels very relevant to contemporary RnB and alt-pop, but it also feels fairly original – and refreshingly endearing in content.
Cry No More is beautifully honest and welcomes the listener into this soulful outpouring. Memories afterwards is an absolute highlight though – musically uplifting and lyrically showcasing an artist with a genuine heart and compassion for others. There’s nothing fake about it, there are still elements of confidence and gritty reality interwoven among positive intentions, and that makes all the difference. These qualities seem a little rare in modern music for the most part, in this case it’s represented in a humble yet musically brilliant and professional manner. This EP as an entire playlist is an easy must to rely upon again and again. The whole thing gathers together crucial, inspiring ideas relating to this very concept of Love Over Death.
Never Ending Cheddar takes a hint of organic musicianship and delves deeper into the artist’s own back-story and experiences. Riding On E then stands out for its level of space and its opening riff that continues as a recognisable trait throughout. A musical and rhythmic highlight, with an anthem-like feel to it – a live show would see the crowd come alive for moments like this. As always, there’s familiarity in the sound, but there are also certain lyrics and lines that jump out from the abyss and really take you back a little. Porter impresses consistently, without overdoing anything.
Outro sees the project to its implied finish with one of the most melodically complex and colorful tracks yet. Another anthem in the making, but also uplifting and optimistic enough to leave you with a lasting sense of possibility. Then you get the bonus track that is No More Love, a surprisingly organic, spacious and live-sounding performance and recording – an absolute highlight at the final hurdle. The soundscape has been uniquely crafted, the details let it stand tall, and Porter’s voice and his ideas pour through with a heightened level of drive and determination.
The only negative at this point is that the playlist comes to an end. On the plus side though, there’s plenty to dive back in for – so many smart lyrics you might have missed the first time around. Well worth spending some time with.
Download or stream the EP here. Find & follow $haun Porter on Instagram.
