Heliara Drops An Honest and Pop Coated EP
- BuzzSlayers
- 18 hours ago
- 4 min read
A new EP from Heliara delivers a soirée of pop-riddled singles and a very infectious sense of honesty as she delves into relationships, motion, and life experiences, all while portraying an amazing character you end up getting attached to along the way.
The record doesn't waste much time with its first track, "Self-Love", which is one of the more rocking songs on the record. The song is pop-rock oriented, upbeat, and blends a wonderful color and edginess together to create something with its own atmosphere.
The song delves into certain kinds of struggles in life, but it does so in a light-hearted fashion, as the lyrics have elements of humor to them but also get real at the same time.
We all need a little self-love, and I think at times, it takes songs like this for us to remember things like that.
A lot of us have been through plenty of life in general, and some self-love goes a long way.
The chorus is almost anthemic with that bright rock approach, distorted guitars that aren't over the top, but instead melodically driving, and a really catchy hook that sort of bounces around in your brain for a while after the song has ended.
Even with the songs that are more rock-based like this one, she never lets go of that pop sensibility.
"I Know That You Love Me" comes up just after that initial single, and this one has a bit more of a warmth to it. It's definitely a love song of sorts, but it comes through with a bit more of a contemporary pop feel, almost inspired by classic '80s songs.
I'm sure there are a slew of influences that come into play when it comes to songwriting for Heliara, and a lot of that shows throughout this record's course, but I love how she reaches into some classic approaches and stays true to herself while still being insanely honest throughout this whole thing.
The combination of that honesty along with the layers of character that she brings out as the record unfolds is brilliant. That is really something that drives the record to me, and one of the reasons I had so much fun digging through it.
She doesn't hold back a lot, even though, as I mentioned earlier, she can be a little bit lighthearted at times, finding humor in her own situations and songwriting, but she's unafraid lyrically. She speaks her mind, and because of that, the whole thing just feels very authentic.
"Obsession" is one of my favorite songs on the record, as it boasts a little bit more of an R&B-style flow, also keeping the pop intact. This has gorgeous vocals all over it, almost constant harmonies that are usually in two parts and add a certain kind of thickness to the song in terms of its texture.
These are the kinds of songs that showcase how she is and are also inspired by different genres of music and pull those in for different songs.
This track in particular has a very natural flow to it, and you end up sort of swimming through it all.
She's also great at creating these soundscapes that are very lush and full-bodied.
The hooks are always there, the color is always there, and sounds like this showcase how she can be elegant in her performance vocally.
I found this song to be quite cinematic.
"Impossible To Love" has much more of an indie-pop feel to it. There's still that dreaminess and vast undertone attached to it, keeping some of the cinematic backbone intact, but it's very catchy and has brighter keys and synthesizers throughout its course.
This is one of the catchiest tracks on the record by far, and feel super radio-friendly, and it's songs like this that make you realize she can still keep to that character, be super honest, and you the major pop single.
Once again, on this one she does blend all the new school approaches, and that's one of the things I found to be a little bit of a staple throughout this record.
"Stay Out of My Dreams" has a faster-paced beat to it, and loads of great vocals that are layered in there, some used as instruments themselves, while others are on the forefront, but the whole thing has a flavor to it that just sticks.
After listening through all the songs on the record, you start to get a feel for who she is as a person and how she puts pieces of herself into her music here and there.
On that note, the closing track of the album is probably the one that has the most meaning for her.
"Confessions to my Daughter" is most certainly a heartwarming track and one of the brightest on the record.
It's a beautiful, spirited song that feels amazing to listen to, especially if you have a daughter of your own. She's able to articulate her words in a way that you can connect with them as a parent.
I absolutely love this as I have a daughter of my own, and connected with it immediately.
This whole record is full of awesome surprises and loads of pop over time, so it's not a record I would suggest missing.
The EP is called Everything's A Love Song.
Listening to the whole thing from start to finish in one shot is one of the best ways to go, but do with it what you will.
Dive into this record now and remember where you heard it first.
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