Family Average: 4/7

“SYTË is an electronic R&B/soul band based in Prishtina, Kosovo.”

Intrigued by this statement on their bandcamp I promptly typed into google where Kovoso is. Boy oh boy is it a pretty looking country! There are tons of shots of gorgeous lakes, mountains, and other things (take a look here). I guess it is no surprise that SYTË makes such pretty music. Everything in the world makes sense again.

But hey, that is just my opinion. read on below to see what the rest of the family thought. And play the album on their Bandcamp while you’re at it!

SYTË sounds like a band that really has their shit together; from vocals to production, everyone seems to know exactly what they are doing. The songs here have a strong direction and it feels like this EP was properly curated and groomed, there wasn't really a limp track. Sometimes I don't really care for the drum sample noises a few of them just sounded too played out for the genre. I look forward to listening to this more and more in the coming month. Rock on.

4/7

If they used lead singer Nita Kaja’s voice for the recorded messages I hear on the NYC subway every morning, the world would be a much better place. I just get a real warm, melty feeling from it. Pair it up with the shimmering soundscapes courtesy of Drin Tashi, and you’re feeling neck-deep in the comfiest blanket this side of the Rio Grande.

 Hope that mess of a paragraph above gets across how well I think these two work together. It is so often that I see talented people who are missing that other half or are kind of mismatched. In this case, they just play off each other well.

 “Crying in the club”, the first track on the EP is a powerhouse. A great way to crack off the show. Unfortunately, towards the end of the EP, it begins to lose steam, and the last track does not quite give it the send-off I was hoping for. I am fine with a downtempo song, this one just felt a little distant.

 All that aside this is still a great introduction to their soulful kind of sad sound. I will be sure to look out for any upcoming shows/releases.

 5/7

They make lovely noises. Calming and dreamy, every last noise masterfully put into place.

Nita’s voice on the first track, “Crying in the club,” reminded me a bit of Clairo’s in the tone, but not so much on the rest of the album.

I like the humming that came in on that track too it added to the calmingness. I also enjoyed images like “rug burns on my heat” ;(.

The album is full of gentle little lyrics and metaphors that make you see and feel things.

And they make the most magical sounds with that guitar.

5/7

This singer has a lovely, mesmerizing voice. She delivers just the right amount of  R&B edge to each song. Although I am usually not a big fan of electronic music, this collection of songs may have changed my mind for sure. They do an awesome job of layering in the guitar, bass, drums and synths all contributing just enough to let the singer’s voice carry the rest of each track.  

The first song grabs ahold of you and gets you interested.  You are then rewarded with four more tracks of equal quality. Amazing attention to detail and production really complete this work.  I enjoyed how the talent and strengths of the singer matched perfectly with the music and lyrics.

The lyrics, of course, make this album the real deal. “Pink Roses” with lyrics like, (not sure if this is exact but . . ) “That’s the Scorpio in me // forcing me to handle things obsessively // Sorry if I’m to intense for you”, are so relatable, no matter what sign you are.  I would probably pick this track and “Cancer” for my two favorites. So glad to have gotten to listen to this and look forward to more from this group.

5/7

The singer has a good voice and the music has a nice mellow flow to it, but it all just sounded too mechanical to my untrained ears. I was distracted by the drum beat; it just sounded like a drum machine to me. There were some interesting aspects to this album however they were short lived for me.

I much prefer traditional R and B, with horn sections and piano. This representation was much too modern for me. Still, I believe that they are talented and I am sure they will appeal to a youthful audience. There’s definitely something interesting there.

4/7

“While it sounded loose and calm, you can tell the album’s composition had a lot of thought put into it. Each song is as long as it needs to be and says what it needs to say.”

I don’t normally seek out trip-hop music, and I wouldn’t have imagined combining it with an r&b or soul sound, but hey it works. From the album cover I had a feeling it was gonna have a funky space-ish vibe, and the beginning songs do. Even though electronic music normally has a lot going on, it keeps it minimal and accentuates the soul aspect. The bass accompaniment in “Pink Roses” helped to give it depth. And “Spring” is aptly named, cause it does conjure up a feeling of reawakening. The singer really carries that song too. I mean she does great in the others too but she stuck out in particular in that one. She’s got a great voice, kinda reminded me of Corinne Bailey Rae but a bit smoother.

While it sounded loose and calm, you can tell the album’s composition had a lot of thought put into it. Each song is as long as it needs to be and says what it needs to say. I dunno maybe my attention span has been ruined by tv and video games, but I feel like there are few songs ever really need six minutes. As well put together as it is, there’s still something lacking, but that might be because I’m more partial to high energy songs.

I think the best way to describe this album is Really Chill. It’s still not something I’d find myself listening to on repeat, but I can appreciate it.

4/7

Oooooh. Color me impressed. With a subtle R&B influence, it's comprised of gorgeous hooks and choruses that swell and linger. The vocals were lush; raw and honest, woven through dreamy synths and guitars -- it’s practically vibrating with a certain sensuality. The lyrics were subtle, simple, but poetic; a narrative of love that resonated reverberated, and echoed in my mind for rest of the day.

5/7