There’s a lot to be said for the importance of atmosphere in music. It’s easy to forget how poignantly the subtle change of chord in a song can compliment the seasons around us–the smell of the air, the gradual increase of sunlight, and the brisk, yet waning winter chill.
If we like to think of what we listen to as the soundtrack to our lives, complimenting our surroundings and eliciting certain types of feelings within ourselves, then Chilean-born, LA-based singer-songwriter Yael Meyer certainly has a way for these types of things.
Her latest EP, Heartbeat, produced by Bill Lefler (Ingrid Michaelson, Tim Myers, Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes) is a beautifully constructed arrangement of just that; a collection of somber, sparkling songs accentuated by Meyer’s keenly melodic voice and thoughtful composition.
The opening track, ‘Shed Their Fear’ is a great example of how the songs seem to pull you in and away, skillfully floating in-between the joyful and melancholic, and unwinding slowly as the album progresses. From there, Meyer continues a similar theme into EP’s title track, wistfully singing, “I’m traveling at the speed of my own heartbeat”, before ending with ‘Favorite Two’, a loosely-strummed ukulele track that sounds, at times, vaguely reminiscent of some of Rilo Kiley‘s earlier work.
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‘Favorite Two’ – Yael Meyer (download)
Her latest EP Heartbeat is available for purchase via her website, Amazon, or iTunes, or you can listen to the rest of the album on her Myspace.
