Freyja is here and she’s brought four stunning tracks!
Let’s get into it.
- Sad Girls
This track opens up with ethereal sounds, bells and what sounds like an arpeggiated muted guitar. The drums are quite complex once they get going – hi hats switching between 8th note rhythms to 32nd rhythms, the rim shot playing an off beat that wouldn’t sound out of place on an afro beat groove.
Freyja’s vocals are strong, and that’s what got me invested in this track, they sit so comfortably within the production of this and it’s…
Well…
It’s definitely my favourite track on the EP and I haven’t got past this track yet!
It’s all about getting past barriers – this is the evidence is in the opening line:
“Imagine the mountains I’ll move when I find my own peace of mind.”
Yeah that speaks solidly to me.
- Over It
This is slightly slower in tempo, but that doesn’t mean the kick isn’t harder. The synth bass nudges in just like a little tick. Freyja’s vocals are used to great effect here, I’m not sure but I hear her going oooh in a falling note as if it’s being pitch bent, it sounds like a synth but it might not be it may be her vocals being sampled which is already something going on here. In fact the more I listen to it the more I’m sure this is the case because you hear Freyja’s voice being pitched down at 2:17, with the technology of today you can use all kinds of things to turn them into a different instrument and this is done so well on this track. At 3:20 it all changes becoming a little more EDM but still with that chill vibe in the background. The outro’s got me invested!
Another contender for the best track on the EP.
- Limerence
Change of time signature now, this is 6/8 and I love the appearance of the synth organ on this….
I need to look up the meaning of Limerence.
Hold on.
Limerence describes the experience of having an uncontrollable desire for someone – an obsession that consumes the limerent person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It usually involves two people: the person who desires the other (the limerent) and the desired person (the limerence object or LO).”
I have never come across this word before and I love it!
The sounds on this EP as a whole has really got me wondering if Freyja has a fondness for sound design because the way this Is put together it could fit so well in a soundtrack.
I also like the words of the second verse, it’s hard to be able to express how you feel to the object of your desire at the best of times but I connect with this:
“Lights guide my way to you,
Hands shaking as I cross the room,
Embers in your eyes,
Reflecting the ache of my”
<Straight into chorus>
“Heart
Let flames brea through,
Cause I want to know you.”
The transition from verse to chorus, there’s no break and it works so well!
Quality arranging here.
- Salem
We are treated to some quality drums in the intro here, but also there is the addition of strings here giving it more atmosphere, and an emotional uplift. Freyja’s vocals sound wistful here. Is this in reference to the Salem witch trials?
Being a woman in that period of history wasn’t exactly the easiest thing, but it also deals with being a woman today, and while it’s subtle nowadays it’s still very evident it’s not easy. Freyja is probably very aware of this being not only an artist but a self taught producer a role that’s been traditionally seen as a male dominated role. Having listened to this EP several times over Freyja smashes the need for there to be a distinction as she’s done a fine job on this.
All in all, a fantastic project not one weak track on this.
Freyja Elsy is an independent singer songwriter and composer based in Cardiff, Wales. Classically trained from a young age and continuing her music education at university, Freyja’s music takes influence from orchestral & chamber sounds and from electronic, folktronica and synthpop artists such as AURORA, Massive Attack and The Naked and Famous. Incorporating both pop technique and classical influence under her own momentum and direction, she has released three well received singles – ‘Lungs’ in April 2021, ‘Requiem’ in May 2022 and ‘Golden Hour’ in October 2022.
