Album: Hard Feelings
Release Date: April 9, 2021
Genre: Indie Synth Rock
TOVI (aka Rebecca Emms), an Alberta-born, Toronto-based artist has unveiled her brand new EP, Hard Feelings.
Have you ever had that feeling where you just want to space out and have that flash of euphoria? This is it, dear readers. This release has me lost in a cyberpunk world late at night cruising through the deepest part of my subconscious mind. Musically, it feels like a dream. You start out slow and mellow then progress faster and faster until you wake up and you feel like you have had the best shot of dopamine that you have ever had. It has these themes of what seem to be heartbreak at first, it starts great then as the record goes on, the protagonist starts sinking lower and lower until they have time to get over it and find the ‘one’.
I also would liken it to an indie video game where you have a little bit of backstory, then has the level which provides context clues to what the game is about. It has a similar vibe to Sayonara: Wild Hearts. One track that stands out for me was “This Could Have Been a Love Song”. It felt strangely motivating with an anthemic sound that makes me want to be a better person and also, a great workout song while getting those gains.
Overall, it is a great EP from start to finish. It is short and sweet, and gets to the point! This will be going on my We’ Vibin’ synth playlist, as this vibe is definitely caught.