Eclectic alt-pop songstress Claudia Bouvette first set our senses aflame with her "Cool It" debut earlier this year. Fresh-faced but effortlessly composed, she impressed with her compelling vocals and honest lyrics. Staying true to her signature sound, today she releases her debut EP, Cool It– a peak into her life thus far, and all the moving pieces within it.
Cool It finds itself deep in the weeds of a love between the writing and production. "Don't Like It" picks up right where lead track "Cool It" left off. With a stripped drum and bass composition for the chorus, it's a fast-paced track that seamlessly switches between tempos, once again brandishing Bouvette's innate ability to adapt and lead her voice wherever needed. Piloted by an 80's synth lead, "Back To Life" flourishes under a steady percussive beat while accents of saxophone notes bleed into the composition, romanticizing every line. Meanwhile, "Lust In The Dark" paints romance in a different colour, slowing down the tempo in a symbolic dimming of the lights. Curiously playful, Bouvette's vocals swell and echo over a sensual production of a flirtatious kick drum and silky synths. "I met someone and the immediate lust hypnotized me," Bouvette explains. "Within minutes I knew I was hooked to him. The spontaneity and excitement stayed with me for weeks and I just had to write about it."
Conversely, "Hush" and "lonely/honey" tell a different kind of love story, where the romance has long died. Opening up about being cheated on, Bouvette crafts a melody reflective of her state of mind on "Hush". She shares: "I didn’t want to hear a single word from him, I just wanted to fucking yell." Aptly, the track adopts a minimal lullaby for the verses, before exploding in a rush of sound and harmonized vocals in the chorus. On "lonely/honey", she explores the idea of loneliness, resenting it while also starting to understand it. Reverberating synths give this track a theatrical flair, with Bouvette's carefully guided vocals conducting the rest of the show. It's a sobering and somehow calming thought, closing out this notable EP with a sincere performance and an open heart.
As impressive as this debut is, Cool It ultimately tells the story of a girl who is just getting started. Claudia Bouvette may be asking to cool off, but if this EP proves anything, it's that she is already on fire.
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