Anjali Ray’s EP collection Dark Side is a deeply personal yet emotionally resonant work for its target audience. The Indian-origin singer/songwriter has built her reputation on equal parts intimacy and songwriting acumen that hasn’t let us down yet and this new offering contends for the honor of being her most mature and fully-realized work yet. It demonstrates how adeptly Ray incorporates several different musical disciplines into a cohesive and signature whole unlike anyone else writing and recording today. Despite the singular nature of these songs, Ray travels in recognizable territory and provides listeners with a thoroughly fulfilling experience.
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Sleek stylishness and a steady, near-hypnotic pulse are the core of the EP’s first track “Leave Everyone Behind”. It builds around a fat bass pulse and acoustic guitar; the latter alternates between brief melodic phrases and straight-ahead rhythm playing. The aforementioned hypnotic quality of the song is a spell broken by the bell-like clarity of Jay’s voice. She also builds a compelling dynamic range for the song, despite its acoustic heart, and wavers between passages of light and shadow without missing a step.
Dynamics are likewise important for “California”. There’s a strong orchestral bent for this tune, albeit powered by a warm synthesizer sheen, and she bookends the arrangement with pensive acoustic-driven passages that complement the whole. Ray’s voice reaches heights during this tune that she only hints at during the opener. The sprightly rhythmic bounce of “Apple of My Eye” enjoys added melodic luster thanks to the recurring piano lines scattered throughout the tune. The drum sound has assertive immediacy that will connect with all but the hard of hearing.
“Change” is another briskly paced tune. It’s a vocal showcase on an EP full of such moments as deftly timed backing vocals and well-placed multitracked vocals complement Ray’s lead. The percussion gives it a percolating edge that has an immediate effect on the listener. “Tesla” marries the balladic tendencies of “California” with the physicality of the previous two tracks with satisfying results. It covers familiar ground, the end of a relationship, with Ray’s consistently evolving individuality.
The finale “Middle of the Night” pulls Ray in a rock direction without succumbing to any of the genre’s stereotypical histrionics. Guitar, piano, and keyboards flash over the top of a muscular rhythm section attack to give this plenty of oomph and Ray proves her voice has more than enough mettle to meet the challenge of such an arrangement. It concludes Dark Side on an emphatic note.
Anjali Ray deserves nothing but fulsome plaudits for her new release. She’s consolidated the growth exhibited on prior releases without ever sacrificing an iota of the spontaneity that helped define those collections for her growing fan base. The new EP Dark Side will spur further exponential growth for this talented singer/songwriter and, hopefully, garner her a level of mainstream attention she’s yet to enjoy. It’s more than deserving. It’s a reminder if we need one about the power of forthright and emotionally risky songwriting. It’s a keeper in every way.
Cleopatra Patel