As I have mentioned many times on this blog in the past, one of my favorite things to do is find new, awesome Indie artists and expose them to as many people as I can. There is so much awesome music out there that deserves to have so much more exposure, and it is such a joy to find an up-and-coming artist with a noteworthy style that makes them shine. Someone who I came across last year who fits into this mold perfectly is Sarah Kinsley. Since I discovered her last year, she has steadily been gaining more and more traction and making a name for herself, turning herself into one of the most exciting Indie artists on the rise. Sarah Kinsley has been making music her whole life, beginning with the youth orchestras and A Capella groups she was a part of growing up. While studying music theory at Columbia University, she decided to start putting out her own self-produced music, starting with her EP The Fall in 2020. She followed this EP with another one called The King in 2021; the title track from this EP ended up gaining some traction on TikTok, putting Sarah Kinsley on the map as one to watch. The King ended up on a lot of year-end lists as one of the top Indie Pop projects of that year, praised for its riveting and sophisticated sound. Sarah Kinsley’s third EP, Crescent, was dropped in 2022. This project was once again praised by many music critics online but did not quite get the amount of hype as The King did. Sarah Kinsley’s fourth EP, Ascension, came out late last year. This is the project that led me to discover Sarah, and it immediately made me a big fan. I loved how wide-ranging and extensive the music on this EP was; from the instrumentals to the vocals to the lyricism, Sarah Kinsley made herself stand out greatly on this EP. Sarah Kinsley has now returned with her debut full-length record, Escaper. Here is how I feel about this new record from Sarah Kinsley. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Escaper, and also comment on how you feel about this record as a whole!
Sarah Kinsley gets this record going with the first single released in its anticipation, ‘Last Time We Never Meet Again.’ This track has a super triumphant and inviting sound that I enjoy. It is a nice opener for the record, as it really draws me in. The melody for this one is very layered and full. This melody is driven by what sounds like a violin(I would assume it is actually a violin and not a synth considering Sarah’s extensive music background). This violin-driven melody is complemented by various other string instruments, such as guitars and a bass, as well as some bright, shimmering synths from a keyboard. The beat for ‘Last Time We Never Meet Again’ is very spritely and energetic. This beat has the kind of energy that makes me want to frolic through a field of flowers, which is an awesome feeling. Sarah’s deep and strong vocal performance on this track is so pleasing and gives the song a level of depth that it benefits from a ton. On ‘Last Time We Never Meet Again,’ Sarah Kinsley is singing about learning to get over a former partner who she is holding on to for the sake of not being alone. She is coming to realize that being alone is better than forcing yourself to be with someone who drags you down. ‘Realms,’ which was the album’s last single, has a very quirky Synth-Pop sound that is tough to pinpoint but it’s very interesting. The piano riff that drives this track is joyous and bluesy. This piano riff makes me think of the Singer-Songwriter Pop that was big in the early 2000s, but also has a bit of a Folk sound element to it that makes it super retro sounding as well. The synths that complement this piano riff are shimmering and bright. These synths, which come in and out, give the song a super huge, glitzy element that is reminiscent of early 2010s Synth-Pop by artists like Neon Trees or Tegan & Sara. The beat for ‘Realms’ is very off-kilter. The beat, which almost has a marching band quality to it, sits pretty weirdly on this melody. This makes The song’s zany energy stand out, as the way the beat and melody contrast makes the song hit hard. Sarah Kinsley’s vocals on ‘Realms’ are so strong and enticing. Her tone sounds so nice on this melody, and she matches the power of the instrumental so well. In ‘Realms,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about fate and realizing the person you think is right for you just may not be right for you in this universe. This is a song of hope, where Sarah suggests that maybe she can be with this person in another life down the road, even if it does not work now. ‘Glint’ has a pretty tame sound when compared to the first two tracks on the record. Nothing about this one is as high-key or bold as the songs that precede it. This song has a light and fun sound that is pretty reminiscent of 1980s Synth Pop music. When I hear this one, I think of the music by artists like Cyndi Lauper, but also the music of artists by INXS. There is a chunky and dark distorted bassline that drives the melody for ‘Glint.’ This melody is complemented by shimmering synths that give the song an atmospheric element that I enjoy a lot. The drum pattern on this one is steady and upbeat; this is the kind of drum pattern that will get anyone dancing when it comes on because it’s entertaining energy. What ‘Glint’ lacks in excitement as far as the instrumental goes it gains in Sarah’s vocals. I love how eccentric her vocals are on this track, as her pitch and tone give this song so much life. On ‘Glint,’ Sarah Kinsely sings about a friend or partner she has lost. She sees this person in everything she does; even if they can not be in her life anymore, their memory certainly remains. ‘Sublime’ has a pretty cool and fulfilling build-up. When this song starts it seems like it is going to be a very calm and possibly acoustic track. Although it is not acoustic, it is still softer than the first four tracks on the album. The melody for ‘Sublime’ is super warm and bubbly. The synths that drive this one, which vary in levels of saturation, have a super cozy sound that makes me think of sitting by a fire on an evening in the fall or winter. Although the beat for ‘Sublime’ is pretty quick, it does not have as much emphasis as the beats on the first few tracks. The drums on this one have a pretty interesting level of distortion to them, making them pop and making this song stand out. The thing that makes ‘Sublime’ stand out even more than the drums are the vocals. I really enjoy the way Sarah’s tone fluctuates on this track, as she creates some very cool textures and makes ‘Sublime’ all-encompassing. On ‘Sublime,’ Sarah Kinsley sings of being in love and spending every moment thinking about this person. Their love helps Sarah get through the day and motivates her to be better.
‘My Name Is Dancing’ keeps the upbeat and energetic Synth-Pop feeling of the first few tracks and amplifies it. When this one starts out, it seems like it is going to be a bit more low-key. The melody is pretty faint and tranquil at the beginning of the song and has a very atmospheric feeling to it. As ‘My Name Is Dancing’ progresses, the melody gets more full and more dark. Toward the end of the track, the melody turns into a crescendo of sound that feels larger than life. There is a Goth-Rock element to this track through the bassline that drives the melody which I think is very cool, as it gives the song(and album) a bit of a darker texture. Once again. Sarah’s vocals on ‘My Name Is Dancing’ are just great. She sings with so much power, and her floaty tone contrasts the melancholy feeling of the melody in a way that is so intriguing. In ‘My Name Is Dancing,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about being blissfully in love and using this new person to forget all of the turmoil in her life. Sarah Kinsley finally does slow things down and even things out a significant amount on ‘Beautiful Things.’ This song actually is a truly acoustic Pop song. The instrumental for this one is very simple. It consists of a piano riff with a pretty sweet but also melancholy tone. Even though this piano riff sounds pretty sad, it is also very soothing and hypnotic. As one would imagine, since the instrumental is so restrained, the focus is put on Sarah Kinsley’s vocals. Her vocals on ‘Beautiful Things’ are excellent. She sings with a perfect balance of power and delicacy to make this song hit so hard and feel very impactful, even if it has a very subdued instrumental. In ‘Beautiful Things,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about not being able to see the beauty in life after her partner left, as everything seems devoid of meaning with this person gone from her life. The more tranquil sound we got on ‘Beautiful Things’ continues ‘Barrel of Love.’ This track starts with a very soft Acoustic sound. Towards the end of the song, a beat and some more instrumentations do come in(such as some shimmering synths). This makes ‘Barrell of Love’ come to a crashing crescendo of sound at the climax of the track, which makes a hell of an impact. Instead of being driven by a Piano riff, this one is driven by a guitar riff. This guitar riff is very cold and almost harsh; there is something about the tone of this guitar riff that exhibits a level of pain that is palpable. The instrumental for this track is interesting, but the vocals definitely take it over the top. I love the high notes that Sarah hits on ‘Barrell of Love,’ as these notes give the song a very impactful and super cool texture. On ‘Barrell of Love,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about how her new partner’s past relationships are dragging them down. The pain and distrust this person feels because of her former relationship is weighing Sarah down as well. The brighter and more bubbly energy we were getting before the last two tracks returned on ‘Matter.’ This one has a slightly different tone/style than anything that precedes it, though. Even though there are no banjos and the instrumental is actually mainly driven by a piano riff, there is something about this track that makes me think of Country-Pop music. The warm tone and overall pacing of the melody for ‘Matter Is reminiscent of Taylor Swift to me, for some reason. This is certainly not a bad thing, as it makes ‘Matter’ very inviting and cute to listen to. ‘Matter’ has an upbeat, toe-tapping sort of beat that will inject anyone with energy when they hear it; I can not help but want to dance around my apartment when this one comes on. As far as the vocals go, ‘Matter’ is probably the least captivating song of the record so far. Sarah’s vocals do sound nice on this one, but they are not as strong as pretty much any other song on the record(which is okay, because the fun nature of the instrumental makes up for this). On ‘Matter,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about drifting apart from someone and not feeling the same kind of love or energy from this person that they used to feel.
‘There Was A Room’ keeps a similar warm and charming tone to its melody and overall sound to the song that precedes it. To be honest, this song almost sounds like a modernized version of ‘Matter.’ Even though the melody does feel similar, everything about this one feels more updated. The melody is driven by saturated synths that sort of remind me of the ultramodern music Grimes was known for. This melody feels rigid and full at the same time; although it is very big, it has a metallic element that almost makes it rigid. The beat for ‘There Was A Room’ is pretty glitchy, which adds to the futuristic feeling of the track. Sarah’s vocals on this one are pretty delicate, but also very impactful. Her tone and flow are riveting and add a spark to this one which I enjoy a ton. In ‘There Was A Room,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about falling head over heels for someone, even if they know it will never work out in the end with this person. Sarah brings the energy down a significant amount again on the song ‘Knights.’ The first section of this song has an Acoustic Piano Pop sound, driven by a very soothing and cozy melody. This piano riff is complemented by other string instruments(particularly a violin) that come in, as well as some synths, which give the melody a level of depth that is very nice. About halfway through the song, a beat comes in. At first, this beat has a very scattered tempo that almost feels like the crashing of waves. Eventually, the beat transitions into a more typical Dance-Pop tempo. As the song moves along, the melody gets stronger and stronger as well. The progression on ‘Knights’ is very cool and makes this song Pop. Sarah Kinsley’s vocals on ‘Knights’ are solid, and they match the energy of the track pretty nicely. On ‘Knights,’ Sarah Kinsley sings about how her past relationship was draining for her and her partner. Both parties were greatly affected by the results of this relationship, and they are both still trying to grow and get over it. ‘Starling’ was the second song that was released as a single before this album came out. This is one of the calmest and most dainty songs on the record for sure. When I first heard ‘Starling,’ I was a bit taken aback, as it is significantly different from what I expected to hear from Sarah Kinsley. There are a couple of songs on the record that are at least a little similar to this one, but it is still pretty individual among the sounds of this record. ‘Starling’ has a slow and laid-back Folk sound with a bit of a Country feel to it. This track is driven by a bright yet sort of downtrodden piano riff. This piano riff is complemented by an acoustic guitar with a twangy feeling and some synths/string instruments that come in and out, giving the melody a level of depth and power. ‘Starling’ does have a beat, albeit a very light and slow one. Although this beat does not take away from the track in any way, I wonder if ‘Starling’ would feel a bit more powerful without it. Sarah’s vocals on ‘Starling’ are very comforting and welcoming, making this song so relaxing overall. On ‘Starling,’ Sarah Kinsley describes love as something that is fleeting. She does not see it as something that has to last forever and wants to appreciate it for what it is. Sarah Kinsley closes Escaper on as triumphant a note as she started the record on the title track. ‘Escaper’ has the sound that makes it the perfect closer. Everything about this song is impactful. I enjoy how the instrumental in the verses is stripped back and the instrumental in the other sections of the song is very big, as this gives the song such a monumental element. The melody for ‘’Escaper’ has a bit of a Bluesy tone that is melancholy and hopeful at the same time. There is something about this melody that feels a bit forlorn but also gives hope. This melody is driven by a piano riff that is complemented by a variety of other instruments, such as a poignant guitar riff as well as various string and wind instruments. Sarah’s vocals on ‘Escaper’ are powerful and bold, matching the epic feeling of the song perfectly. In ‘Escaper,’ Sarah Kinsley sings of regret and hope; she wants to go back to the simplicity of how she felt in the past and will do anything to get back to that place. Sarah Kinsley finishes this record in a very magnificent way with ‘Escaper.’
As you may have gathered from the introduction, Escaper is an album I have been looking forward to. I am very glad to say that Sarah Kinsley did not drop the ball at all with this record. This is an excellent debut album with so much to love. Escaper is an eclectic and vivacious record with a plethora of sounds and styles that work so well. Even though this album has such a diverse, colorful, and complex sound, it flows perfectly. No song seems out of place, and no song seems wasted. I do not think there is a lackluster song on Escaper, and nothing sounds like it is filler. There are songs that rise above the rest, but they all have their place. Sarah Kinsley kills it lyrically and vocally on this track. The instrumentals are great in their own right, but Sarah’s writing and singing take so many songs over the top. Overall, Escaper awesome record where Sarah Kinsley showcases her immense talent. I hope this album blows up and becomes super big because Sarah deserves all the attention she can get for this one.
EAST SIDE VIBES 