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Evgenya Redko and Asi Yehuda comprise the international music duo PAI X. Currently based in London, these two have gifted us an ethereal, electro-soul debut EP that makes skin crawl and minds travel to distant places. It's a breathtaking and multifaceted introduction to two young music makers entitled Skin.
The opening track "Skin (Intro)" ascends with arioso hums, echoing snaps, and steady drum beats until Redko's voice cuts in swiftly to deliver the story. Her hummingbird croons feel elegant against the haunting beats and ferocious lyrics. "Skin (Intro)" exquisitely sets the tone for the supernatural lullabies included on the rest of the EP.
Following "Skin (Intro)," we hear about the battle of self-discovery in "They Breathe." We drift along with only the airiness of Redko's voice to guide us. The beat switches a few times throughout to remind us the ever-changing feelings associated with identity, relationships, and community.
We slow down again with murmuring guitar strums and some serenades from Asi Yehuda in the EP's third track, "Hold Your Fire." The chorus hits hard with a cyclical, vibrating electro-beat as PAI X transports us to another space in time. The soulful lyrics sing of wounds, loss, and the human desire for control.
"Freedom" feels definitively like the standout track on Skin. The powerful piano ballad features all of the enchanting elements of PAI X including unique storytelling, unpredictable song structures, and transcendental melodies. It's music that you not only hear but feels visual as well.
Skin closes out with "Thrive" and "The 5th," the two tracks PAI X released as singles beforehand. Thrive comes in as the most somber track on the EP, but beauty exists in the darkness. The deep and soul-entrancing words are reflected in the heavy drum beats and layered vocal production. The speaker begs for one more day, night, or life with their lover's thriving soul. PAI X published a music video to accompany "Thrive" as well, and the wintry desperation pixelates before us in the short but intense film.
In "The 5th," Redko wistfully sings about a past love and the broken relationship that followed. The track resounds like a symphony with reverberating synth-waves and violin-esque crescendos.
On their Bandcamp page, PAI X comments, "We hope this takes you on a dimensional trip between spaces and emotions," and Skin sincerely delivers one masterful trip through sonic sounds and sentiments.
Skin is out now on Bandcamp and you can listen to/purchase the EP HERE.
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