It happens all the time. You hear an innovative debut from a mysterious new artist and want to learn all there is about them. You Google their name to see if they have more music out, search for their twitter handle, find out what projects they are working on, or if there is an EP in the making. The cryptically beautiful ballad of “5 AM” immediately intrigued listeners to the voice behind the song. That voice is of Kwamie Liv and since the release of her first single in February, listeners have been itching to know more the Danish singer/songwriter. As her buzz continues to increase, Kwamie has kept a space of secrecy both in her music and her evasion of the media.
While there hasn’t been much to know of her, what we do know is she brings something inventive to the table. This is not your average sounding electro-pop. Her sound is downtempo, soulful and yet chilling. She continues to give individuality within a genre with the release of her debut EP Lost In the Girl. The project includes already acclaimed singles “5 AM”, “Follow You” and “Comin Thru”, with three new tracks. This is music for open minded listeners.
“5 AM”:
At first listen, what captures you to “5 AM” is the peculiarity of it. The clever electronic production mixed with auto tune and rich synths create a dim mood that contributes to the song’s dark feel. What hit hards though are the track’s lyrics. She creates a depth through striking imagery that should not be overshadowed by her sultry sounds. What’s most impressive about Kwamie is how her delicate vocals lure you. They float over the electronic-led production and while it isn’t grossly commanding, there is an inconspicuous power heard. And even more interesting is the different moods she creates through the ambiguity of her light croon – it’s quite exquisite. On “5AM”, she almost sounds indifferent but on “Coming Down” and “Follow You” there is a melancholy vibe to it.
On tracks like “Coming Down” and “Magic”, you see how much the production adds to her soft tempered vocals. The two might not seem to be the perfect combination but after listening, you see how the pure level of her vocal seduction is intensified by the smooth synths and downtempo electro-R&B bass. “Coming Down” is the better example of this. Although exuding a dark feel like the other tracks, there is a haunting temptation that is soothing and meditative. She does not stay in this gloomy space however. “Comin Thru” was the first evidence of her deep mixture of sounds with its upbeat and M.I.A reminiscent vibe. I think it’s excellent for new artists to show their versatility, and Kwamie does the same with the EP title track “Lost In The Girl”. While it starts off cryptic, the bass picks up. It’s almost danceable and shows another captivating side to Kwamie’s sound.
“Lost In The Girl”:
The EP surely lets us get lost in the girl, lost in kwamie’s world, lost in her calm realm. We may want to know more about Kwamie but she lets the music do the talking. The music is enough. She is open and raw where she needs to be and this I’m sure of, will contribute to her success. As far as debuts go, the EP is an enthralling exposé of Kwamie Liv. Download her Lost In The Girl EP here, it appears on iTunes on August 26.
Words by Chenae Rodrigues // Edited by Ayo Adepoju
