A Beautifully Honest EP from Like Mint
A beautifully woven new EP from Like Mint just dropped, and this record displays so much a unique approach to honesty as the artist just lets loads of thick-laid inner thoughts come spilling out for everyone else to soak in.
This is one of the most brilliant aspects of the record, simply because every line gets you thinking. Every lyric makes you wonder or prompts memories to pop up in your head when you least expect them.
The artist gets deep with this release. She delves into all kinds of aspects of life and holds very little back, letting yourself come through vulnerably, but authentically.
I think that's what we want from a record like this. We want authenticity. We want songs to come from a real place so that we can really understand or relate to them.
Because of the way she articulates her words and lyrics, this was incredibly connective for me.
It was absolutely gorgeous from beginning to end, and the whole aesthetic of the record sort of pulls you along and invites you to float alongside it as it drifts and sways.
The release is called On Second Thought, and consists of five tracks, each giving you a little bit of a different side to her personality and Artistry.
One of the most breathtaking aspects of this record is the vocals. I know that feels like it may be an obvious thing, but the way she lays them out is part of the reason they hit so hard.
Sometimes it's just a single vocal, giving you such a story from such a personal space that you can't turn away.
Other times, she layers her vocals, whether they're double-tracked and singing in the same notes and words, or there are layers of harmonies coming in, she's able to create this beautifully Angelic sort of dreamlike soundscape with them when she wants to.
She uses her voice almost like an instrument itself at certain points in the record, and that gives depth to the song and even makes them feel semi-cinematic half the time.
The release starts with a track called "A Long Year", which is brilliantly honest. She gets so existential in a way.
She talks of certain kinds of struggles and what it will be like when she gets older and looks back on these years.
The things she will feel shuffling along in a nursing home, old and remembering.
I love this aspect. She paints such an amazing picture, and it feels so natural.
Her lyrics are a big aspect of what pulls you into the record.
A lot of this EP is based around acoustic guitar and vocals, with other instrumentation sort of sprinkled in at different times.
"Not What I Need To Do" paints such a vivid picture that you can really see it as the song unfolds.
As I said, she's quite a storyteller. This is also an example of a song that grows and sort of flourishes, especially in terms of its instrumentation and cinematic backbone.
Some beautiful string sections come in and really just let the song whisk you away.
I think that's part of the point as well. You're supposed to get whisked or even washed away with the soundscape of these songs.
This is music that makes you feel or makes you think. Sometimes it does both. As people in general, we want to hear other people's stories.
She does not have a problem with lacing in some of that pop tonality and Sensibility and with her music as well. Sounds like "Eugene" showcases that as she brings a little bit of brightness in color to things.
Probably one of the most honest and unique songs on this record, is the closing track, "Consolation Prize", which features live percussion, piano, and just this gorgeous vocal approach.
This is one of the songs I was talking about when I mentioned how she doubles her vocals. She just has a very unique texture and tone to her voice when she doubles up like that.
This whole thing was quite an experience, and I definitely suggest listening to it all the way through from start to finish.
There are a few surprises around the corners, including a song in a different language, but all in all, this was wonderful.
Listening to this release with headphones on is absolutely the best way to go, because this way you can soak in all of those lyrics and textures, layers, and tones the record delivers.
Doing it that way puts you in her world even more so.
Don't just take my word for it though; take a deep dive into this record right now. You definitely won't regret it, especially if you like music with tons of Personality attached to it.
This EP brought a warmth that was pretty unique.
