Testament to Karina Rykman’s growth

NYC-based singer and songwriter Karina Rykman has just released her debut full-length album, Joyride. This new album is a floating, good-vibes collection of different sounds and performances perfect for a summer release. The new release features nine different tracks coming in at just over 35 minutes of listening time.

Rykman worked on Joyride alongside her longtime friend Gabe Monro. Monro co-produced the debut album and performs on keys and synth bass throughout the album. The album’s other co-producer, Trey Anastasio from Phish, plays guitar on five of the album’s nine total tracks.

Rykman takes a step back from her jam-band history on the album’s titular track, “Joyride.” The song opens up with synth tones before launching into a smooth disco pop tune. This energy is felt throughout the album, carrying over to tracks like the appropriately trippy “Fever Dream.” It opens with a dreamlike arrangement of keys and synth tones before finishing with a lengthy guitar solo that peters out into discordant static. “All That You Wanted” similarly opens with synth tones and keys before segueing into a cruising drumbeat and deep bassline before a screeching electric guitar brings the song to a close.

Rykman embraces further new sounds with her track “Skylark / Slowlark,” which employs a funky beat and electric guitar, much resembling a track from Phish, while keeping the vocals to a minimum. “Run Of The Mill” furthermore carries a distorted, echoey sound with some funky electric guitar work. “Plants,” another instrumental track, also carries this impassioned electric guitar work and distortion.

Some of the most successful tracks on the album occur when Rykman blends genres, combining her different musical worlds to create a new sound. In addition to the track “Beacon” which achieves this success, “Trampoline” mixes both the funky sound from tracks like “Skylark / Slowlark” and “Run Of The Mill” with the synth-heavy, floaty sound of tracks like “Joyride” and “Fever Dream,” creating a song that feels like a culmination of Rykman’s musical journey as an intense flourish and bringing her debut album to a close.

Joyride is a testament to Rykman’s skill as an artist. The growth from releasing singles to a full-length debut album, combining her own talents with the aid of other artists, evolved into a shining, easygoing album. Rykman has shown, with this release, that she is a powerful pop artist.