We are finally entering into Spring, feeling its warmth, watching the trees bloom and the tiny ducklings grow up at our local park. It’s the perfect time to acknowledge the change in seasons, the change in moods, and it’s time to let go of the things that are holding us back, refusing to bring them into the next season with us. SOZI’s new EP, BLOOM, is all about this transition that all humans go through at one time or another. She says “BLOOM is about what it feels like to finally let go of everything that’s been weighing you down, and choose yourself.” BLOOM is part one of her four-part Seasons project. SOZI is based in Los Angeles and wrote, produced, and co-mixed this record.
“I wanted each song to feel like a different stage of blooming: from chaos and clarity to surrender and freedom.” – SOZI
The record starts off with the dreamy track “Seconds.” Soft electric keyboards, a clear vocal tone, and pop-punk-sounding drums fuse with the elements of pop music to create a stand-out pop track. Melodically, this track is extremely catchy, fit for pop radio. The chorus is an instant earworm. I personally found myself rewinding so that I could catch all the quickly delivered lyrics, wanting to take it all in. The song dives into the pressures of being human and needing to get stuff done. “They say these are the best years of my life…” she sings with confidence and deep emotion: “Time keeps turning, and I’m stuck here wondering, when will I wake up? I know there’s more than this.” We all have those moments in our younger years, wondering if we are living life to the fullest, wondering if there’s anything we could do to further elevate our experience. Those lyrics really portray those feelings quite well. Partially, this societal pressure is overwhelming, especially upon awakening and having a mental list of all the things you want to accomplish that day. It seems there is never enough time to actually get it all done. SOZI captures this feeling well, singing: “I have so many things to do, the list goes on… How do the seconds turn to minutes when I just woke up?… I just can’t keep up.”
“The recording process for BLOOM was genuinely such a fun and freeing experience. It felt natural putting the sonic puzzle pieces together, even though each track lives in its own sound world, they still weave together thematically and emotionally. I finished writing the EP around January (sometimes I hopped on Instagram and TikTok live, sharing the writing process and behind-the-scenes of producing), and from that point on, it all flowed. Knowing that I really wanted to release it at the top of Spring, the deadline was definitely looming over me and the pressure was on. Producing and co-mixing it myself from home made the process even more personal, it really is a reflection of where I am creatively right now.” – SOZI
The next song is “Fall Away.” This track is slightly more laid-back compared to “Seconds.” The song has a strong beat that is catchier because of the clapping element. Her voice floats beautifully on top of the track, especially during the chorus when the reverb is turned up a bit higher. This song is all about the personal season changes that we go through as humans. Things shift. It’s time to allow that shift to happen. SOZI captures the fear of the unknown in this. It sounds like a self-soothing anthem: “Let it fall away, take a breath.” It sounds like she is singing directly to the listener. I mean, from time to time, we could all really use these encouraging lyrics. “You are not alone. Let it fall away.” The song has a catchy piano element playing a nice counterpoint melody to the catchy lead vocal, making this song a standout pop ballad.
“Just For A Minute” is immediately captivating because of the rhythmic vocal delivery. SOZI knows she has to embrace the changes that are happening right now. However, this song offers a pause from thinking about the impending changes. She is giving herself a minute, or a moment, to just think about something different momentarily, something more positive. She is super vulnerable, talking about her anxieties and fears about life’s changes. She sings: “Terrified, but I’ll be fine.” Her vocal floats in a dreamy way and through it, we hear much confidence. Fear often stops us completely from making a change, and many humans just get stuck where they are, sometimes forever. But SOZI, she knows that she will eventually have to embrace the changing tides of life, and through her confident and empowering vocal delivery we can trust that she will embrace it fully after her brief moment of peaceful pause.
“It’s honestly hard to pick a favorite because each track brings something totally unique to the project, and I find myself connecting to different ones depending on the day. Right now, I’ve been really rocking with “Set Me Free”. It’s the one I keep wanting to hear on a loop. There’s something about the energy, the message, and the release in that song that just hits where I’m at emotionally.” – SOZI
The last track on the EP is a piano-driven ballad called “Set Me Free.” This is an empowerment anthem about reclaiming your power and allowing yourself to feel free. The song features intricate drums that really drive the epic feel of the music. Her vocal is peaceful but powerful. The backing vocals add another layer of musicality that keeps the listener hooked in. This is a great final track for the EP because it has the most epic sound.
Listen to SOZI’s new record on Spotify now:
Listen to SOZI’s new record on Spotify now:
SOZI’s Social media links
Written by Ryan Cassata
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