Photo by Gina Garcia
Now that we’ve officially entered the Trump years, it’s up to us to remain vigilant and vocal. Being a passive bystander is no longer an option; rather, a life of action is what we the people need to commit to. Brooklyn-based songwriter/producer/activist Valerie Orth lives everyday by this code — sometimes it’s political (she participated in last weekend’s massive Women’s March), other times she applies it to her art, as she’s done on her latest project, an EP called Wake You.
Over the course of five tracks, Orth inspires listeners to shake off self-doubt and detractors so that they can take control of their lives and relationships. “When will you make a move? Do you need another clue?” she sings on closing track “Make Your Move”, hoping to motivate someone to find his/her inner self in much the same way she has. Meanwhile on a track titled “Pixie”, Orth urges a friend to “Get up…been so quiet, come and make some noise.”
Musically, these songs move with the same kind of energy and thoughtfulness that radiates from Orth. Opener “Call You My Own” as well as “Side By Side” percolate and throb like the material of Sylvan Esso — they’re charged by synths, but never lose sight of their organic skeletal foundations.
Orth spoke about Wake You in a statement to Consequence of Sound:
“I’m really proud to release Wake You. I’ve been working on it for over a year with 2 great co-producers and an army of supportive friends. Although the songs were written at different times with different stories behind each, there is a running theme: motivation. Whether it’s pushing myself to write or mobilizing others to make a move, Wake You is meant to inspire the listener to go do what they love or be with the person they love. I finally had a hand at producing and did a lot of exploring musically, which erupted in a volcano of vocal layers, trippy sounds, an integration of live instruments and electronics, and unique yet driving rhythms.”
Ahead of the EP’s release on Friday, January 27th, we’re premiering it in full below.
Pre-order Wake You here.
Wake You Artwork:
Wake You Tracklist:
01. Call You My Own
02. Pixie
03. Love You Back
04. Side By Side
05. Make Your Move
