Distinct production and meaningful lyrics
Sophia Kennedy, a German American alternative artist, recently released her sophomore album titled Monsters. The singer-songwriter’s emotional 13 tracks tell her story in a distinct, meaningful way. Her intriguing use of production techniques, blending musical styles and enchanting vocals set her apart from other artists.
The second track of the album, “Orange Tic Tac,” is one of the more popular ones. It begins with mystical layered vocals and an electronica dance club beat that resolves into soulful vocals that describe a downtown scene where she floats down the boulevard. The track flips between styles, and the lyrics reference a “Schizophrenic timeline.” The verses contain more intense, machine-like vocals and instrumental accompaniment, while the chorus vocals are lyrical and soulful. The song has an eerie but beautiful and enchanting sound that demands the listener’s attention to every sound and word.
The third track on the album titled “I Can See You” has an optimistic sound. It begins with a bouncy synthesizer and a steady organic drum beat behind it. This creates space for her melody to take its own course and room for the lyrics to tell a story. She sings about a confrontation that has recently ended and the way it leaves her feeling. The song manages to balance both sounds and feelings of optimism yet sadness. She communicates these complex emotions that juxtapose each other yet go hand in hand through her storytelling lyrics, sung over a hopeful and bouncy synthesizer and drum accompaniment.
The seventh track on the album, “I’m Looking Up,” tells yet another personal story through an emotion-filled song. A nostalgic piano starts off the song creating a sad and reflective tone for the track. The lyrics perfectly match the mood of the piano as she sings about someone no longer being in her life and the unbearable feeling that accompanies her experience. Even though they are no longer together, she expresses how it feels like this person is everywhere, and she is constantly reminded of them. The song builds into an intense few lines where the drums take over and provide an emotional backdrop to accompany the powerful vocals as her emotions grow louder and louder. Ultimately, the song culminates in an outpouring of emotion before the music strips back down to the nostalgic piano that started the track.
“Cat On My Tongue,” the tenth track, tells a story that many can relate to. Kennedy describes the struggle of looking at someone but not knowing what to say or how to say it. Her heart is there with them, but she can not figure out how to handle the situation or express herself. Synthesizer, a steady beat and layered vocals accompany the beguiling lead vocals and passion-filled lyrics. At various points, Kennedy transitions to speaking the lyrics, emphasizing her message and emotions on a personal level that the listener can not ignore. In the end, the music fades out with a synthesizer and strong beat, leaving the listener in thought.
Kennedy’s newest album, Monsters, has a distinct sound that showcases the artist’s ability to combine her storytelling and beautiful vocals with a broad range of intriguing musical elements and a blend of styles that connects her with the listeners.
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