R&B, a music genre that turns strong emotions into powerful songs. A music genre that often casts a light on stories that have particularly influenced those who tell them ; Essosa may only be 19 years old, but she has already experienced many universal feelings that she intends to transform into heartfelt songs. Whether she talks about the ephemeral “summer vacation relationship”, the impression of not fitting or the will to fight for herself, she talks about it in the calmest and sweetest ways possible in her dreamy, nostalgia-filled EP “Dreamworld”. So get ready to listen to the vivid thoughts that cross Essosa’s mind !
“I tried hard, to fit in the space
Everyone moves at their own pace
But you know, you know it’s not easy to bear
When you see that the bond is already there”
– Essosa – Belong
From the first sounds & lyrics we get to hear on “Dreamworld”, we know we are getting ready to listen to some sweet poetry that tells about the highs and lows of life. Our journey starts on “Belong”, a track that begins with piano chords that are quickly followed by percussions sounds – the ones that make the R&B rhythm pattern so recognizable. On this first track, Essosa calmly talks about track the impression of not fitting, and the difficulties that come with moving to a new city and trying to find a place in groups of friends that have already been established a long time ago. Essosa speaks of her personal experience here ; she was born in England, however her parents moved to Canada when she was a very young child. She decided to go back to England a few years later, and alone this time. A difficult move that often had her thinking, and that has let her alone more often that she had imagined.
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We then listen to “Memory”, a track that tells through dissonant & solar synth notes the universal feeling that is love. However, Essosa doesn’t talk about it in a magical way : you actually hear her recall memories of old conversations that often led to unanswered questions, and the lingering feeling of nostalgia – two elements that perfectly describes the romantic relationships of teenage years that we thought were going to last forever back then.
After “Memory” comes “Heaven”, which is without a doubt the most refreshing track of the EP, as Essosa showcases the R&B music genre under a completely different light. The synths chord progressions make us feel like we are flying above a sea of clouds, and Essosa’s voice, being so light, acts as our guide as we travel through this pastel world.
And if “Heaven” was the most innovative track of the EP, “All My Love”, on the contrary, is the most vintage one of them all, as it is filled more old school references. Essosa came back to the subject of love on this track, but she portrays it in a different way this time – Essosa indeed talks about the need to end a relationship to instead focus on her dreams & ambition.
While listening to the outro of the EP, we notice that “Dreamworld” is an EP that lives up to its name. Essosa indeed brilliantly brings us in her own universe, a universe that has been shaped by her past and future dreams, a universe in which she welcomes us kindly. Essosa is definitely an artist to follow closely : her first EP proved the world that she is ready to take place in the R&B music scene !
Essosa is to be found on all streaming platforms. You can also follow her on Instagram !
– Disclaimer : discovered through MusoSoup #SustainableCurator.
