It can be rare to instantly fall in love with every song on a new EP and album you hear. There’s usually one or two tracks that you fall head over heels for, and others you have to let grow on you before you appreciate them fully. This wasn’t the case when I heard Squidgenini’s ‘SQUID’ EP.
As soon as I pressed play, I was welcomed into a warm haze of soulful pop. The EP may only have five tracks, but every one is a brand new experience that showcases Squidgenini’s range and experimental finesse.
‘All Made Up’, the opening track, had me hooked when the layered vocals instantly grabbed me with their softness and swagger. The soft tones in the melody dance around a smacking beat as gentle atmospherics keep every element afloat in a dreamy soundscape. The track is soulful, light and absolutely addictive, as is ‘Into My Heart’.
Sweet twinkles and tones elevate the gentle vocals on ‘Into My Heart’. There’s a strong deep house influence on the melody, with a more subdued beat supporting the vocals. The tempo is very energetic and when you pair that with warm atmospherics and clicking percussion, you have a sweet track full of heat.
I’m a fan of light jazz, so hearing the first few bars of ‘Circle;Line’ filled me with joy. Buzzing tones bounce over faint bongos as a deep bass-like synth slides through trickles of extra percussion. ‘Circle;Line’ has a minimalistic melody and Squidgenini’s dreamy vocals make the who track feel so smooth. I’d call this track technological jazz, which is very easy to drink in.
‘Trust’ has a similar vibe to ‘Circle;Line’, with ethereal vocals floating over jazzy piano tones. A very deep bass swims beneath the vocal harmonies as gentle clicks keep time. It’s these richer elements that give the soft melody a bit more heft and make ‘Circle;Line’ deep and flavourful.
There’s a running theme on ‘SQUID’ of smooth jazz blending with soulful pop to create warm production that just relaxes you. The only outlier is ‘TMO’.
‘TMO’ starts off with similar atmospherics that help colour all of the other tracks, but then transforms into a spectacularly sharp soundscape. Computerised samples dance atop the lighter melody with hard tones and scattered clicks propelling the track into a more energetic territory.
‘SQUID’ is an EP without faults. The tracks all flow so seamlessly and draw you in almost instantly. Squidgenini’s work has always been captivating, but this EP is truly something special that I, personally, never want to stop listening to.
Stream via: Beats Of No Nation
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