When she dropped her single "On II You" back in October, Alex Isley teased that there was more where that came from, advising fans to "Stay tuned for more." Now, we finally get to reap the benefits of her hard work in the studio in the form of her new EP, The Beauty of Everything, Part 1, which dropped today.
The five-track project is filled to the brim with more of the dreamy sounds that we've come to know and love from the talented artist. The self-written and self-produced EP opens up with "Always 84," which sets the tone of what's to come: an abundance of layered, soothing sounds that will leave anybody within hearing distance wanting for more. The underlying boom-bap of "Smoke & Mirrors" is reminiscent of J Dilla's signature sound as she sings about a lover who isn't quite what he seems. Her ability to spot the jig is reiterated again on "On II You," which pops up again on the EP. Although Ms. Isley is saccharine-sweet on the outside, her intuition proves that she's perfectly capable of seeing through the BS.
Isley slows things down a bit on the hauntingly beautiful "Lifeboat," where she wonders aloud, "who can I save if not myself?" She paints a gorgeous picture of self-love and devotion backed simply by an acoustic guitar courtesy of Portuguese guitarist Maro. Alex closes things out with "When It Rains," a midtempo groove about looking beyond your current situation to see the bigger picture and remaining grateful of the lessons that come after the rain.
All-in-all The Beauty of Everything, Part 1 is a solid project that will tide us over as we patiently wait for a part two or her next full-length album. Clocking in at just over 22-minutes, TBOE delivers on the vibes while also giving listeners a lot to ponder. Take this EP for a spin and see if it doesn't soothe your soul.
