I remember first hearing about Neah Lee 4 or 5 yrs ago when she was still signed to Koo Chung‘s label Broken For Good. I’ve seen her in concert once when the entire label performed at a church in Virginia and came away impressed with her soulful voice and honest artistry in her expression of faith and life. Since that time it seems like she’s been a bit quiet on the music front, branching off on her own. ‘The EP’ marks Neah’s first return to the scene since she released ‘Without Wax’ in 2005. Eager to hear new material from her, I ordered a digital copy. So are you curious to know how the EP is?
Find out after the jump!
What Would I– The opening song caught me by surprise as it’s stylistically different from anything I’d previously heard from Neah. It has a very, indie/folk, Sufjan Stevens kind of vibe. It comes off pretty catchy while the lyrics paint an interesting scenario of human interactions. Although different from what I’m used to hearing from her, the style is still fitting with sweet harmonies and pretty melodies. This would actually set the tone for the rest of the EP.
Pink Elephant – The track channels a bit of Derek Webb crossed with Imogen Heap’s ‘Hide & Seek’. The vocals are heavily processed and offer a semi-haunting sound that sticks with the listener. Instrumentally the song is very calm and stripped down the lyrics touch upon the things that are impossible to ignore but go unspoken. It’s a pretty intriguing listen, while I’m not sure I would appreciate an entire album of this style, it works well as a single song.
Tragedy – This was released last yearas a tribute to some of Neah’s family and the rest of their missions team that passed away from an unfortunate car accident. As expected the song has a very somber tone but offers an honest glimpse on how such a terrible incident may be processed, especially in the context of faith and the bigger picture. It’s a stirring and beautiful song that begs for at least one thorough listen.
Growing Pains– Once again surprising me, Neah chose to open the song with some interesting electronica elements. The track has a very indie rock feel to it that reminds me of more accessible version of Samuel Joseph Kim’s work. Despite the electronic loop, overall it’s still similar in sound to the other offerings from this EP. It’s fairly enjoyable but the effects towards the end can get a tad distracting. I wouldn’t call the song a favorite but it’s still a pretty decent listen. I thought the strongest part of the song were the lyrics.
Interlude in T-Minor ft DJ FyR– As a bonus track this song’s style comes way out of left field, despite the already experimental nature of the EP. It has a slight hip-hop bounce to it with Neah rapping. Yeah, that’s right, I said rapping. She definitely shouldn’t make an entire rap album but as a bonus song it’s actually a pretty cool listen and kind of enjoyable at that. It also futher demonstrates that Neah is very full of creative surprises. I also really enjoyed the beat.
Conclusion:
Neah Lee has undeniably strayed from the status quo, releasing an EP that sounds very different from her previous work. ‘The EP’ is a pretty experimental, albeit very short, body of work that really shows a different side to Neah. Of course, the experimental nature also means it’s a bit less accessible from her previous releases, but I imagine the goal wasn’t necessarily mass appeal anyways. Instead, what’s presented hear is an intriguing collection of songs that have a much more stylized and indie tone in approach and execution. It’s still an enjoyable release but the songs aren’t the type to be listened to lightly as they all vaguely touch upon different struggles and situations in human relationships. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, this release was a little too short to get a true feel of what Neah wanted to share with the listener. However, what is offered is are a handful of fairly strong songs that hint at interesting future prospects and warrant a listen, especially if you’ve been eager to hear new material from Neah. Although I am very much intrigued in where Neah will go from here, one complaint I have about the style change is that it doesn’t offer proper opportunities to showcase Neah’s heartfelt soulful vocals, which is what drew me into her music in the first place.
Must Listen: What Would I, Pink Elephant, Tragedy
a-Tunes Score: 8/10
a-Tunes 