EP Review: Sonia Espiritu

EP Review: Sonia Espiritu - Shut Up

By Abbie Howell

Sonia Espiritu is a Mexican-Filipino artist from California whose music is about to be making waves in the alternative indie-rock scene.

Her debut EP, ‘SHUT UP’, releases tomorrow (June 3rd) and we had to honour of being sent an early release from the musician we’ve watched blossom over the past few years. The EP is made up of 4 tracks that herald the start of summer with warm vocals, innovative production, and vibey instrumentals.

The EP’s first track, ‘lately’, lulls the listener into a sense of calmness with its melodic piano melody, which then accelerates with the introduction of train noises in the background. Espiritu’s vocals and honey-like harmonies guide the reader through an impressive instrumental track with a catchy guitar rhythm and a bassline that is impossible to not love.

Providing the perfect soundtrack for a chill summer morning is ‘drops in june’, the EP’s second song. Hazy instrumental production, coupled with Espiritu’s haunting vocals, lulls the reader into a state of relaxation. The fading instrumentals into vocal-oriented sound at the end of the track is one of my favourite parts of the EP and has given my summer strolls a beautiful soundtrack!

Moving into a less ethereal, more grunge vibe is the EP’s penultimate track, ‘5foot2’. A perfect beginning-of-the-end alternative indie-punk track, with a catchy melody and 80’s style guitar and synth production, this is a hit for all you retro-lovers out there.

‘SHUT UP’, the EP’s final track, is my top pick of the album and the one I’ve had on constant repeat! The light vocals and stripped-back guitar are ethereal and take listeners through a surprise journey when the song flips to a heavier guitar and melodic, frustrated vocals. This abrupt flip in sound reminded me of the first song of the album and made the whole EP cohesive and cyclical.

The journey of emotions that this EP took me on, both through fantastic instrumental production and Espiritu’s unique voice, has meant’SHUT UP’ will definitely be my looped soundtrack of the summer - and I hope it will be yours too.

Edited by Emily Duff

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