BY QUINN DONOGHUE – Catey Esler cultivates a dream-like, mystical atmosphere in her debut album Hall of Mirrors. The music consists of big bass sounds, hauntingly beautiful electronic melodies, thought-provoking lyrics, and crystalline vocals. I’m able to hear a wide range of influences on this album, such as Tame Impala, Slow Dive, Bj rk, and Mazzy Star. Yet there’s no doubt that Esler has been able to carve out her own niche within the dream-pop genre. Her voice and the blend of sounds she incorporates into her music makes her a distinguished and refined artist in her own right.
The opening track “Amnesiac” features eerie bass and unorthodox percussion, contrasted perfectly by alluring vocals which are emphasized through the subtlety of the instrumentation. Right away, the song draws loose comparisons to Björk with it’s executed paradox of dark
instrumentation and graceful singing. The next song, “Crawl,” shifts into a more upbeat tempo, generating a dance-inducing vibe due to it’s straightforward beat and undeniably catchy synthesizers. “Again” is a slower song, allowing the lyrical ability of Esler to really shine. Lyrics
like “Think of it in past life/looking back for the last time/but it’s stuck on a rewind/and it stops in the daylight” invoke thoughts of clinging to memories that are difficult to let go of as they circulate through one’s mind repeatedly. “Please” then reverts back to a bit more of a haunting atmosphere but maintains a slower, vocally driven sound that is similar to “Again.”
The fifth track, “Sink or Swim” is my personal favorite on the album. It seems to be a perfect balance of all the things Esler does so well: stunning singing ability, incredible lyrics, and understated instrumentation. All of these factors culminate to a powerful song that inspires repeated listens. “Eyes Off” and “Why” continue to showcase Esler’s limitless creativity, yet she maintains a sense of cohesion regardless of how much she experiments. The latter includes ambient guitar and bolstering drums. “If” induces feelings of melancholy and nostalgia and is complemented by breathtaking vocal harmonies from Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Becca Stevens.
“The Other Side” further exemplifies Esler’s aptness for writing poetic lyrics that contain vivid imagery. The opening lines “Running to the other side/towards the long horizon I/finding in my present mind/what I see in the sky” immediately paint a picture that seamlessly reels in the listener. “With Ease” sounds exactly like the title suggests. It is a serene song that utilizes minimal instrumentation, allowing all of the melodies to flow freely and harmoniously. The final track, “Spark,” sends the album off on a positive note; the lyrics appear to be hopeful and the music also encapsulates feelings of optimism and inspiration.
Simply put, this eleven song slate is a mesmerizing journey. The songwriting is sophisticated, the sonic textures are expansive, and there is an unwavering sense of mysticism and wonder throughout the album. Hall of Mirrors is unequivocally an impressive debut album, beholding Catey Esler as an artist who is in complete command of her craft.
