1. All in the Name
2. Blank Generation
3. Strange Orange
4. Rivermouth
5. To Feel It Deep
Indie singer/songwriter Niloo shared her debut eponymous EP on May 6th, and with it a fragile piece of herself. Mellow and dreamy, the five-song project sets you down a path of self-reflection with observations of relationships, friendships, grief and solitude.
The Victoria-based artist’s sound is one-of-a-kind, melding psychedelic elements with the subtleties of a songwriter and a voice pure as rain. Niloo explores heavy topics in her lyrics, like in the opening track “All in the Name,” where she deconstructs the solitude and peace that follows ending a tumultuous relationship. (“Found only pieces of myself / In somebody else’s truth.”)
The EP’s fourth track, “Rivermouth,” feels as much like a nod to Joni Mitchell’s jazz influence as it does to the iconic 90’s wave of powerful female artists like Dido and Alanis Morissette. Niloo’s vocals glide over the soothing song, driven by bright acoustic guitar and electric washed in a chorus effect, creating a nostalgic soundtrack.
“To Feel it Deep” – the album’s last song – was released as a single, paired with an official music video. The visuals beautifully capture the fluidity of the music, featuring a dancer and a swimmer, as well as Niloo singing the melancholy lyrics in the soft sunlight.
Listen to Niloo’s eponymous EP, out now everywhere.
The arrangement is dreamlike and mellow, and features a stunning Wurlitzer electronic piano. Niloo’s voice is sublime, snugly woven into the melody. The way she changes tone is lovely, leaving an ethereal waver that carves through the production. There is a homely quality in the fact that the solace sung of was found in the canned soup aisle at the grocery store (“Read the labels, read the backs / Crossed off all the things I no longer lack”).
Finding clarity and peace with past actions is no easy feat; questioning others’ intentions and our own desires is expected in any situation. "All in the Name” proves that comfort can be found in the simplest places and most humble of objects. It is the sophomore single off Niloo’s self-titled EP to be released in mid-April.
