Dermot Kennedy meets Ed Sheeran in CHRIS SOL's EP "Sugar & Smoke"

CHRIS SOL

Sugar & Smoke

Vancouver, Canada

Fresh out of Vancouver, Canada, let me take you through the sophomore EP Sugar & Smoke by Chris Sol. This five-track production will whisk you through the universe of pop and folk to create a journey through the stars in a relaxing, cinematic experience.

From the dynamic to intimate and stripped back, you're guaranteed to be in for one hell of an experience. So, grab yourself a drink, sit down and enjoy the music as I take you through each piece.

"Sugar & Smoke" opens with the song called "Rumours", a stripped-back heartfelt composition from start to end. Acoustic guitar melodies match the scale of the vocals to offer listeners a beautifully laid-back, reflective and relaxing listening experience. Although the piece is extremely stripped back, nothing more is needed as the vocals intricately weave themselves throughout the realm of the piece.

The next song titled "Comin' Home" transitions nicely. Here we get to hear a higher register to Chris Sol's vocals as they soothe us on a bed of acoustic guitar strums and solos. The lyrics make wishes for a lover to stay, to never leave because they feel like home. The lyrics tell a cohesive story within a folk-embedded dream.

"Austin, TX" is a beautiful creation that roots itself in folk and dream pop. Keeping to the folk style lyricism and guitar twangs but bringing a lifting reverbed vocal performance and synth-sounding strings create that ultimate dream pop feel. This is a stunning song indeed, one that I for one will listen to time and time again!

"Sometimes" is a whole land of meadows and flowers. This is a song that symbolises the love that most of us want to either feel or be the narrator of. There's a sense of ease within the vocal performance as Chris Sol makes it clear that his life is a breeze when he's with this particular woman.

"Astronomers" closes this spectacular EP in a way that leaves you satisfied with your discovery. This song comes in longer than the others at over six minutes to provide a mini book of its own. Again, the lyrics and vocals are absolutely stunning and raw. I've found one of my new favourite artists in Chris Sol. This song grasps every emotion as the string instruments create the perfect harmony of classical violins to the unprocessed scratches on acoustic guitar strings.

Chris Sol has the potential to take the universe by storm with his pure and raw music. I see no reason why he couldn't move mountains after hearing this project. I honestly felt every world and so will you!

If you can imagine an artist midway between Dermot Kennedy and Ed Sheeran then you have just evisioned Chris Sol. - TAMARA JENNA

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