Emma Louise vs Head vs Heart

Singing is one of the most extraordinary things in music. The right vocalist can turn mundane tracks into fan favorites or a good instrumental into a song for the ages. The wrong vocalist could make an album unlistenable, regardless of the musical strengths behind him or her. Emma Louise's voice is one of those that transcends the music every time she opens her mouth. On vs Head vs Heart though, the music definitely holds up as well. This album is the sound on an artist in complete control of her gift, displaying range and subtle touches in her vocal performance; it hits all the right notes to best accompany the vocals. It fades a little by the end, but for the most part, each track will captivate you with its music and Louise's singing.

 

The first song on this record also happens to be the best. 17 Hours starts with hymn-like music, the type that would accompany a trip into church or into heaven. In this case, Louise's voice is the angel welcoming you. Her soothing voice floats effortlessly over the minimalism. Touches of keyboards are sparse enough for the main guitar melody slides right into the assortment. It's an absolutely gorgeous start. The only other track that centers on this ambient feel is Braces, with a stretched-out synth part and heartbeat rhythm creating a laid-back interval. Otherwise, the albums sticks closer to the usual song structures. 

 

Atlas Eyes uses a simple piano melody and backing drum beat as a base off which Louise's voice bounces. It may be pretty traditional, but it's pretty wonderful too. The single, Boy, hides its guitars in the background, like they're being played on top of a building and you're hearing the noise float down to you on the street. Stainache and Mirrors are two other highlights that actually do mirror each other quite nicely. The former is a song for a long walk along the beach alone on a cloudy, cold day, with keyboards that walk on the edge of being mournful. The latter has a scratching, bright guitar melody that feels like a song for a sunny beach trip with a lover. As you approach the end of the album though, the songs start to weaken. Jungle sounds like Lights by Ellie Goulding. While it's a decent song, the familiarity is close enough to be distracting. Pontoon has a giant, reverberating rhythm, but the song offers little else of note.

 

As powerful Emma Louise's vocals are, it is how she combines it with her songwriting that makes vs Head vs Heart a great album. The harmonies she creates with her own voice are always goosebump-worthy moments and her use of minimalism usually works out in her favor. While it is not perfect, this is a fantastic way to kick off a career. Hopefully, we'll be listening to Louise's voice for years to come.