Emarosa returns with their new album, Sting, out on January 27th, with 10 tracks of everything from alternative synths-wave to electropop.
The album opens with Preach, with a very 80s sound. The first thing you hear is the very groovy drum beat buried low under the mix, until the guitar and synths come in with an “ow!” from Bradley Scott to mark the beginning. The guitar riff from ER White keeps a groove well when paired with the drums. The song switches between the fully instrumental sound, and a much smaller mix with just the synth, vocals, and a snare on only the downbeats. The song establishes the former at the beginning of the first verse, but then becomes more prevalent in the choruses later in the song. Around 2:10, the vocals add a bit more to the chorus, showing a lovely sounding upward climb. The ending of the song incorporates some wonderfully done falsetto as well.
The second track, Attention, steps away from the 80s sound of Preach, and sounds more theatrical, like a piece of a soundtrack from a musical. The percussion with clapping and use of an ensemble at 2:07 helps establish this even more. The song is a song that is easily going to be a favorite to sing and belt out. Attention is so laid back, while also being so energetic, creating a wonderfully done sonic hyperbole for the ear.
Stay opens with a disco pop style sound, with a very peppy beat, and a lot of reverb. The pre-chorus and chorus really show off his range, with quick staccato style singing. The instrumentals compliment the vocals perfectly with a more unified sound, with multiple layers creating a really full sounding sound. The bridge of the song continues the layered unified sound, into a very simple downbeat only chord for a few measures, to leave a focus on just the vocals. The final chorus includes a fun sax part to create a change of pace.
Cinnamon takes the dynamics down to being a much softer sound on the vocals. It’s very light except for a few select high notes. It’s a groovy track with very dreamy instrumentals, with a counter melody buried in the instrumentals. The bridge contains a fun guitar solo that is electrifying without being too much of a contrast to the otherwise soft sound.
The next track, Forgiveness, keeps the same softer vocals, but puts bass very forward in the mix during the chorus, which is a fun thing to lay over the guitar and claps. The guitar is a fun riff that is fairly simple as it's not the main focus, but a very important piece of the overall sound. It is the same between verse and chorus, which creates a great transition. It’s familiar while still allowing change when it’s buried under the bass. The final chorus breaks the soft vocals and has Bradley belting a bit more.
INLA opens with piano chords only, but instruments are slowly added. The chorus adds in a full drum kit. The song is a ballad calling out to a connection lost with a loved one. The lyrics of the chorus are “It feels like forever, since we’ve been together but,if you’re around, got the time, tell me know, cause I’m in LA.” A guitar solo is added as a bridge. The final chorus is a gorgeous climax, with beautifully done high harmonies sprinkled in. It hits you hard emotionally and is an amazing track.
Again opens with a voicemail intro, leading into a very danceable chorus. It’s the type of chorus that would get the whole crowd singing at a show, with syncopation over the bar line in between lines of lyrics. Pair that with the very relatable theme of falling in love, getting hurt, but not being able to let go, and this song is easily going to be a fan favorite. The line that hits the most is “the years I’m gonna lose, to find another you, but I won’t hold my breath.” It’s a feeling that many fans might connect to. Overall this song is an amazing piece and possibly the highlight of the album.
The next song, Woman, has a rhythm guitar part paired nicely with the bass and drums. There is also occasionally a guitar providing an echo to the melody after lines in the verse. The chorus includes female backing vocals that contemplate the song nicely. This song utilizes Bradley’s range a bit more than other tracks as well, and is a beautiful sounding melody. The bridge is a stripped down section, with very little instrumentals, highlighting the vocal melody first.
The penultimate track is Rush, is a very electronic track, but keeping the disco pop and indie like beat. The chorus utilizes an effect on the vocals to counter the main melody. The song utilizes a nice fade during the chorus after the lyrics “pushing down the gas.” The track also is structured like the name, with it opening straight into the chorus, no intro or anything. Overall this is a very nice track and a fun lyrical theme that is very unique
The very last track of the album is called Danger. Its opening is similar to INLA in the way of being just chords. The track is more instrumental focused, with a very full mix with lots of instruments and samples. The vocals are on the softer end to keep the focus on the background music. When looking at both of the last tracks, they pair nicely to represent the album as a whole. Rush is the more peppy and vocal focused electro pop, while Danger is more of the instrumental focused, softer vocal tracks. Danger is a great song to listen to when you want to relax and just listen. Because of the density of the mix and the amount of sounds you could focus on any individual sound and never get bored with this one.
Remember to check out Emarosa’s new album, Sting, which releases today, January 27th. This album has something to offer for anyone who enjoys indie or electro pop. Fans interested in vocals, or more instrumental, will both enjoy this album.
