Wake You, Orth’s newest released EP just came out a few days ago on January 27th, and although I just started listening to it two days after its release, let me tell you: I can’t get enough. With just 5 songs, Orth captures you with the first strike of “Call You My Own” and makes you wish that the EP lasted longer than just 15 minutes.
It starts off strong with a hard hitting beat and ethereal vocals permeating in the background while Orth’s smooth voice takes over full vocal control. As the second song, “Pixie,” begins, it has a smoother transition than the initial track; but, soon picks up within the first 45 seconds to create a rhythmic trance for the chorus to control listeners with puppet strings.
Photo courtesy of valerieorth.com
Don’t get me wrong, with this music in the background, I’m more than happy to be under someone else’s control because of how impactful this is for me, as a first time listener. I love when you can let yourself succumb to the power of music, and I feel like this EP did that for me, even for how short it is.
As a whole, this EP can be summed up as an experimental combination of St. Vincent, Sylvan Esso, tUnE-yArDs, and Björk with Orth’s own unique twang through her voice and back beats. I’m clearly obsessed with beats, and each one of this EP’s tracks has a steady beat that almost flows seamlessly between one another. The order in which she has the tracks going proves that she knows how to put together a fluid set of songs to pass the time and get you motivated for your day.
I recommend “Call You My Own” and “Pixie,” her two most popular songs on the EP (and for good reason) as songs to walk and/or work out to when you need a consistent background on which to build your routine. “Side by Side” is also just, wow. Its upbeat rhythm and enticing subject matter make it a great song to listen to both for the music and lyrical aspects of the song.
“Love You Back” and “Make Your Move” are good for those really chill times where you’re just feeling something to keep you calm and low, you know? The latter is especially great to be soothed to sleep or calmed down after some fit of anger. I personally lean towards songs like these about 80% of my time awake, so it’s just the thing to satisfy that “chill tooth,” if you will, at the end of an upbeat, energy inducing EP.
Photo courtesy of valerieorth.com
All in all, listen to this, y’all. It gets a 10/10 for me and I’m confident in saying that I’ll be listening to this EP and more from Orth’s released music and whatever is to come.
You can listen to Wake You on SoundCloud right here!