Do you need a warm hug? Close your eyes and listen to the depth of Emma Topolski’s (aka Saint Clair) voice. Her new (well, it’s been out for almost two weeks, but we are still in time, right?) single from Saint Clair, lifted from her debut EP D1.
Saint Clair is no stranger around the music world as she’s been pretty busy featuring in and supporting Laura Marling’s band. She has also sung and played with Ghostpoet and Childcare. Tired? This is nowhere near all the things we can list about Emma’s work as backing vocals and supporting artist. Now, imagine on top of that putting out a debut EP with such quality as this one.
Right from the beginning, we surrendered to the piano entering. But as soon as Emma’s voice sings the first few words and as soon as she hums huuuum….huuuummm… It’s safe to say we melted. Produced by Ben Jones, soulful electronic-pop cut Train appositely samples the sound of trains pulling in and out of London Bridge station, recorded from the roof of Jones’ nearby studios. Pretty incredible, right?
Train is the last track of the EP but it works perfectly as a sad goodbye and a hope to see you soon. The lyrics themselves go: “Don’t leave, it’s safer for you here with me / I’ll give you anything you need / Just wait ’til morning comes“. This single is very smart, not only for its placing on the tracklist but for many other reasons. Train uses the right amount of synths, the right amount of deep bass, the right amount of repetition and enough variation between each verse and the chorus. Put everything together and you get a constant chill down your spine and limbs throughout the whole 3:25 minutes. More than that, as soons as it ends, the urge to press the replay button is too huge to resist.
Other thing we can’t resist is to mention the other three tracks you’ll be able to find on D1.
Sailing is the first track of D1 and it’s been out for a year now. A soulful song focused on keep moving on despite past experiences, realizing when it’s too late and keep pushing forward. This track captures beautifully the depth of Emma’s vocals, making it the central stage of the song. And that chorus… to die for.
Up next is Heavy On My Heart which starts with an acoustic guitar and a stripped down vibe. Emotion filled track, this song is a big mash of genres, incorporating pop, R&B, and perhaps a little bit of folk. It’s quite a track!
The third and penultimate track is Simmer. And how it simmers! The most upbeat, fast paced song so far is one to drop your jaw at. the fun rhythm and the eloquence catches your attention immediately, and the addicting chorus is the cherry on top.
D1 is out May 5th. Keep updated to know everything first hand:
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