Sunday, July 20, 2014

Adventure is No Simple Feat: A Review of Monica Colet's Self-Titled EP

9:36 AM

Share it Please



"I’ve seen love bloom at a bullfight between a Spanish matador, and a Flamenco dancer from Seville, who sashayed her way through the gore." – lyrics from her song “Adventure”

Ever thought of becoming a princess slaying demons, and pirates or simply imagining your crush to notice you the first time? Debuting her first EP at the tender age of 18, Monica Colet, also often called “Niki”, graces the world of OPM with this 4-track gem. She majors in Creative Writing, which she adroitly blends into her songwriting, transforming mere lyrics to tales of love and adventure. Her EP was released early this year on Valentine’s Day, setting the mood perfectly with her swoon-worthy tracks.

Monica Colet's recently released tracks lean towards the sway-inducing indie pop genre. The songs possess an elegant charm, odd but completely pleasing to the ears. Its eccentric yet bubbly aura may seem like a difficult thing to pull off, but she delivers her pieces excellently. Together with her distinct and resonantly appealing voice, and unusual instruments such as the kazoo, which is a type of flute that creates a buzzing sound, and coin jingles, it makes for 3-4 minutes of an elegant daydream.

The first track on her EP is called “Adventure”. She uses colorful imagery and clever wordplay to produce an anthem that can make anyone listening imagine a life worthy of a quest. Her second track “Love in the Time of Mistaken Despondency” is another lyrical gem. Accompanied by her rounded voice, its somber tune swirls and lingers around one’s heart, perfect for the arrival of dusk or a lullaby for a broken heart. Overall, her sound is reminiscent of Regina Spektor and a bit of Florence and the Machine.

With the way she dances with her colorful words one can’t help but sway to the tune of her voice. Her lyrics also reveal a level of maturity and seriousness because of how she illustrates love and melancholy. Next is her list is called “High School Crush”. The youthful feel of this sets it apart—the blending of acoustic and electric guitar gives it an interesting vibe, something akin to tunes of Taylor Swift. “Swoon” may be the best on her EP. The use of the kazoo, claves and maraccas, together with the constant upbeat plucking of the strings, it boasts a quirky and laidback sound, which makes this one unique.

With lyrics worthy of a poet, alongside melodies that make boys (and girls) fall in love, Monica’s distinctive style and songwriting talent is definitely one to look out for. This is certainly worth the listen, whether you’re chilling at home or driving around while the sun goes down.

Listen to Swoon here:



A single from the EP (Love in the Time of Mistaken Despondency) is available at Amplify.com


Article by Elaiza and Rica
Photo by Gaby
----


“Sometimes cute, always kilig” is the way to describe Elaiza. Friends would say she’s made of pure fun while strangers would describe her to be weird. She plays the guitar, the piano, and sings fairly well. She’s also into a lot of unusual things like American muscle cars, Taylor Swift, pancit canton chilimansi, and girls (also boys).



Gaby is used to working quietly in the background. The Thing is her first big attempt at taking the lead. She isn't sure how it is going to go, considering that most of her time is spent trying to get her dog to listen to her. On most days, you would find her at her computer, excessively bookmarking links to DIY projects and articles about teenage wunderkind.







0 comments:

Post a Comment