Sydney electro-pop artist Esmé has spent the last couple of years honing her sound, and she’s ready to share the evolution of her sound with the world. Her new track, For The Thrill, comes off Esmé’s new EP Brooklyn EP, named after the location where it was recorded and produced. She visited Brooklyn in late 2018 to expand her sound, and she sees it as a leap of faith. The trip has resulted in her weaving more electronic sounds and textures into her music, while retaining her jazz-infused roots. It’s a song that has two sides to it (with the lyrics and music almost polar opposites in terms of the emotions being conveyed), which makes for an extremely interesting listen.

Throughout For The Thrill, Esmé’s voice floats above the track’s production. It’s an interesting blend of sounds you’d see associated with lounge/jazz, accompanied by the rattling high hats and bassy backing vocals that have become staples of electronic music. The juxtaposition of both genres have given Esmé’s voice an extra edge, and the whole sound sounds fully realised. Her work with Royce Wood Junior, Twilite Tone and Chris Penning has definitely paid off, and she’s set to make a name for herself as an artist straddling the boundaries of genre, incorporating the elements she likes from a range of sounds.

Speaking about the track, Esmé says it came from a period of uncertainty. “I wrote For The Thrill when I was feeling unsure. Doubtful of what paths to choose, tired of chasing a thrill at the time, yet feeling easily, momentarily satisfied and joyful being immersed in any kind of thrill, whether that being musical, love, or adventure-seeking. This song delves into the complexity of love, without you really noticing it because the music is so carefree. The lyrics came so naturally for this song, they just spilled out of me, and the phrases are practically unchanged from the initial lyrical idea.

“The contrast in feeling between the lyrics and music is the whole point of this track. I wanted to capture the idea of love in this confusing, yet oddly familiar way. Our hearts aloof and carefree like the music, complex and hesitant like the lyrics. The music allows you to feel so unattached, to life, to love, to worries. It gets you feeling completely unconfined. You can zone into the lyrics if you want, or you can stay in the space the music is offering. It’s completely up to the listener. Together, the words and music take us through a journey of self-confession from desiring to be free forever, while never being able to escape our longing to belong to someone, chasing a thrill until we get burnt enough from our own fire, to slow down.”

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Check out For The Thrill below. I really liked Esmé’s vocals on this track, and I definitely recommend checking out the rest of her discography if you’ve got the chance. It’s a slow burn of a track, but by the end of it, you’ll find yourself going back to listen to all the subtle production choices you might have missed. Adding an electronic aspect to her sound has definitely paid off for Esmé, and I can’t wait to see where she takes her music next. I suspect we’ll be hearing a lot from her in the near future.