In the mood for something moody? Please. As if that even requires an answer.
I first heard Kelly Sweet‘s “Ashes of My Paradise” about 3 days ago, when I covered the song’s video premiere for MTV Buzzworthy. And ever since, the song’s been on solid loop.
The 24-year-old Massachusetts-born songstress has been making slow, steady progress into the music industry since the mid-naughties, including her 2007 debut, We Are One. But now, she’s entered into 2013 with a solid slice of synth-pop perfection in tow: “Ashes of My Paradise.”
The track is a gorgeous blend of pure, earnest vocals and chilly New Wave synthesizers; a bit lonesome and whimsical all at once, echoing the sparkly sadness of some of our most beloved Euro electro-pop chanteuses like Ellie Goulding and La Roux (especially with that falsetto chorus, but free of the oft-grating quality of Jackson’s voice.) There’s also an older soul peeking out from under, a la Annie Lennox.
The lyrics, too, are gorgeous: “I feel us dying, two hearts divided/Am I the only one fighting? Watching us dying?” she cries out. She also sings the phrase “Help me break the ice” at one point, an obvious allusion to the Holy Spearit‘s healing words. Really, really amazing stuff all around.
But wait, there’s more: “Ashes Of My Paradise” comes from Sweet’s equally incredible upcoming Sirens EP,including the heaven-sent devotional “My Saving Grace” and the almighty, soldiering title track, which plays a lot like what I imagine Florence & The Machine produced by Ryan Tedder would sound like. Huge.
And so, we’ve officially got ourselves a new chanteuse to add to the “Ones to Watch” for 2013.
The Sirens EP will be released in 2013.
