These LITM Pop Picks are everything from smooth to intense and back to delicate; featuring Nadia Maria, REYA, and Jemily Rime!
1. Nadia Maria – Say Something
Opening Nadia Maria’s latest – and debut – EP, This Is A Solo And Not A Duet, is Say Something, a smooth track that invites you in with its chill energy. As she sings “Say something to me, say something to me / I am gonna listen,” , she urges the person on the other end to open up as she proves to be a constant reassuring presence, even as they pull away. The song manages to be playfully bouncy while still maintaining an undercurrent of emotional urgency – a delicate balance that works quite in its favour. Give Say Something a listen here!
2. REYA – Supersize
From its opening moment, you can tell that REYA’s Supersize is going to land with an intensity that’ll blow you away. In the background, flamenco guitars provide rhythm and depth to her airy yet grounded vocals, and they create an atmosphere that lifts you, swirling, higher and higher – until almost exactly a minute in. REYA knows she’s lulled you into thinking you know what’s coming, and what she does to snap you out of it is worth leaving unsaid – no spoilers here. This dark pop, bilingual track is sure to leave you a little disoriented when it ends, and that’s what makes it so easily repeatable. Listen to it here!
3. Jemily Rime – Angel
Jemily Rime’s Angel moves the way a thin fabric sways in the breeze: slow, surrendering to wherever the wind – or in this case, the music – takes it. Set against a backdrop of delicate acoustic guitar, Rime’s vocals glide in with lyrics like “It’s been torture looking over my shoulder / I’ve worn high heels instead of trainers / To take out the trash in case you walked past” – they’re evocative, vivid, and the kind that resonate with some part of you, even if you don’t want them to. The emotional undercurrent is beautifully complex, and is even more impactful when juxtaposed with the simplicity of the melody and intricate arrangement. Listen here!
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