15013
Self-Released, 2021
8/10
A Malaysian singer-songwriter who is quickly making a name for herself on her side of the globe, Lyia Meta meshes blues, R&B, soul and rock across these 6 very well thought out songs
“Daylight” starts the listen with crisp drumming and smooth guitars as Meta’s husky and alluring pipes guide the soft melody, and “Leaving Was The Last Thing On My Mind” follows and makes great use of soothing brass amid the soaring vocals where a soulful climate unfolds with much beauty.
The middle tracks, “What Would They Think” and “Sing A Sad Song”, are among the best, as the former offers a dreamy soft-rock feeling, and the latter moves swifter amid twinkling guitar and playful percussion to complement Meta’s heartfelt delivery.
Moving towards the end, “This One’s For You” offers a gorgeous and uplifting R&B execution, and “Thinkin’ Blues” exits the listen indeed blues friendly with strings, organ, sax, vibes and other noise makers alongside Meta’s more forceful singing that shows impressive range.
Bob McGilpin plays all the instruments on the EP and does a great job of highlighting Meta’s emotive singing, and Denise Dimin, who penned most of the songs, provides timeless songwriting that probably lands closest to jazz, but welcomes many influences, that, combined with Meta’s inviting vocals, ends entirely too soon.
Travels well with: Dimitri K- I Am Not Yours; Francesco Amenta- Midtown Walk