Singer Sumera was first showcased to the world in 2010, back when she was a contestant on X Factor. And where many non-finalists of talent shows seem to fall into oblivion and are never heard of again, Sumera has worked on her comeback alternating between Amsterdam, Berlin and London in order to develop her own sound in the meantime.
The latter is self-described as ‘a clever mix of pop and dark electronic sounds’, and is definitely the best way to put it when listening to her debut EP Stop Heart. Those of you that love Sweden’s Robyn, will notice a resemblance – in a very positive way.
Haunting yet pleasant
Opening track Gender Blender is a dark and minimal song featuring creepy synth sounds and beautiful vocals, of which the lyrics are worth listening to carefully. The track’s vocals are recorded in a very low-budget way, probably intentionally – as you’ll hear a motorbike passing by in the background. But all for the best, as the atmosphere is haunting yet pleasant. Stop Heart is our favorite. The song breathes catchiness and is supported by tom drums alternated with electronic drum computer sounds. Think Florrie vs Florence + The Machine with a dash of Robyn. Curtain That Falls, starts off sounding like the EP’s jazzy intermezzo, but appearances are deceptive. Soon enough the track grows into a sublime slow-paced electronic track, carried by swelling synthesizer sounds. Track 4, Try, is possibly the least of the bunch. It doesn’t have the darkness and rawness we’ve been introduced to through the previous tracks and tends to sound a little too Beyoncé. The last track is Bright Lies, which Sumera has bombarded as the main single off her new album. With a slight resemblance to Robyn’s Dancing On My Own, the song holds its own in this, and takes the listener along into a hypnotic and perfect electropop trip – definitely one of the highlights of the EP.
Negative image
Not often do you see music videos shot in negative image, but it’s exactly that which makes the video of Bright Lies so special. A bold choice, as you’ll know it’s going to be tough to get this pitched for MTV. Nevertheless, we encourage Sumera’s braveness for picking this style.
A remix worth mentioning
Last but not least, is a remix worth mentioning by Riptide, who’s created a more accessible and dancefloor-ready version of Bright Lies.
