By: Nerhys Hall
Inspired by classic soul recordings, Toronto future soul and R&B vocalist a l l i e teamed up with producer The Kount and released a four-song EP called Euphoria in mid-August. For the album, the duo used tape machines and vintage and analog gear to created their soundscape. They added a live horn section, strings, bass, and keyboards to enhance their original concepts.
The EP opens with “Camino”, a laid-back song with a simple orchestral-like beginning. A l l i e’s soulful voice floats over top of the instrumental layers that fade in and out of hearing. Horns accent the beat and there’s a brilliant use of silence. The vocals and instrumental layers cut out for a simple outro.
Tracks three and four, “Nothing Else” and “Back to Her” respectively, are also fairly laid back. The third song does begin with a pulsating, quickly repeated rhythm, but then slows down with cool ambient noises and a l l i e’s powerful voice. “Nothing Else” has a distinct R&B sound to it and features a soft piano and a horn section. It ends on a jazzy note. “Back to Her”, the fourth and final song, begins with ambient textures and soft, haunting vocals. The harmonies underneath the vocals are punctuated with silence, creating an incredibly beautiful sound.
The second song, “Oowee”, is more upbeat than the other three and begins with a simple drumbeat. A l l i e’s voice has a soft echo effect overtop of it that is occasionally removed. The instrumental layers build throughout the track and it ends with a piano solo.
You can really hear the old school approach that a l l i e and The Kount took when creating this EP. It makes for a fantastic listening experience that r&b and soul fans will surely enjoy.