Jenny Gillespie’s forthcoming effort, Chamma, is a captivating follow-up to her previous EP, Belita, which instills a haunting yet seductive sound that lingers on the derivative esthetics of folk and electronic pop. From beginning to end, this release provides listeners with an introspective and personally inviting narrative that soothingly captures the sincerity and honesty of her musical prowess.
Presenting stunning and alluring instrumental arrangements through leading singles like “Holi,” “Dragon Mother” and “Epiphanee,” Chamma’s enchanting electronic-based melodies provide a melodramatic atmosphere to sink in, while Gillespie’s extravagantly open lyrical delivery uniquely stands alone throughout this album.
Incorporating personal accounts of grief, “Dirty Gold Parasol” is a gripping song that can be easily identified with the lines, “She lost her only light” and, “No chance to be a mother,” which may hint toward a disillusioned tale that enlightens us with her tragic experiences of losing her child at birth.
“Evil Eye” is a desolate finale that truly sets the stage for this record overall. With a theme of gaining back control of your heart, the ideologies conveyed throughout the song’s context provide you with a poetic uphill fight against clouded thoughts. Found within the text of the single’s concluding lines, “I promise I’ll stop thinking so much/Be headless as the torso out in the garden,” Gillespie presents a subjectively morbid notion that introduces the justified argument that self-discovery can be influenced through transitional periods of doubt and uncertainty.
With a beautiful arrangement of vulnerable lyrics to complement Gillespie’s virtuous electronic musicianship, Chamma’s inviting tone provides listeners with an enchanting perspective inside the mind of this San Francisco singer-songwriter. As her eerie instrumental approach delights you with a reflective storyline presented throughout, Gillespie’s passion and sincere charisma truly reflects whirlwind emotions of mystifying serenity along with a contrasting sense of agony.
In A Word: Stunning
