Despite being named after a cheap box of wine, Sunset Blush is anything but throw away. On their debut album Kississippi, fronted by Zoe Reynolds, explore deeply personal themes which fully consume you into Reynolds’ world.
Retaining the singer songwriter musicianship of previous EP’s whilst still pushing forward, the songs found here are drenched in soft indie-rock guitars amongst layers of poppy synths, sweeping from one track to the next. Lead single ‘Easier to Love’ is a luscious pop song dealing with the consequences of changing yourself for somebody else. This is idea is juxtaposed on ‘Cut Yr Teeth’ where Reynolds delivers her lyrics (the person you made yourself out to be / would feel sorry for what you’ve done to me) with strength but still possessing the vulnerability in her voice that allows her to display the depth of emotion found in her words.
Reynolds’ skill at entwining sharp yet melancholy lyrics with a subtle melody is best exemplified on album opener, ‘Once Good.’ The ‘Yours is forgotten / made room for new faces / unsure if would be seeing yours again,’ refrain lingers in listener’s mind long after the record finishes.
In a recent interview with The Independent, she described the record as her ‘overcoming some toxic friendships and relationships’ & in doing has discovered a seemingly new found confidence & assurance in herself, not only as a musician, but as a human being.
This is a record that rewards repeated listens & it would be too easy, lazy & an injustice to describe it merely as ‘sincere’ & ‘wholehearted’ – the record goes so much deeper than that. What makes Kississippi so inarguably great is also what set’s this record apart from heaps of others. Reynolds’ words.
– Dan Buckingham
The Colour Of Vinyl 