Therese’s dark RnB and its healthy infusions with jazz and soul are back on her latest, 6-song EP Masochist. A thorough exploration of some dark areas of human nature, delivered with panache and confidence in an enriching, unique listen.
A singer and songwriter originally from Miami, now based in Seattle, Washington, Therese has a rich hound that comes through her songs. Marked by her witty, introspective lyrics, present vocal textures, and laid-back instrumental background, making her music at once exhilarating and chill. On Masochist, Therese is exploring chapters of adult life -relationships, what works and what shouldn’t, getting over feelings with recklessness, or falling for them head over heels. It’s all presented tastefully, and the fusion of the steady RnB undertone with lush hints of jazz, blues, and soul makes for a highly rewarding album, and the snappy, inventive production heightens the rewards.
The one-two punch of ‘Wondering’ and ‘Pretending’ kick off the album with a dose of drippy soul, with the loose beats and flirty, wah-ed guitar notes on ‘Wondering’, or the laidback atmospherics and present vocals on ‘Pretending. Following those is ‘Star Crossed’, my favorite on the EP. A tear-jerking acoustic guitar part sounds arresting, coupled with a sparse bass part that highlights whichever part it plays on, both supporting Therese’s more understated delivery and words about a relationship with a bad outcome and the thoughts over how things could have ended up differently.
‘Math’ is similarly guitar-driven, but more blues-centered. With lush reverbs and a minor progression, the snappy electric guitars on the rhythm duty are heavy-hitting and Therese’s high-reaching vocal part sounds stunning on this darker song about throwing caution to the wind. ‘Before Sunrise’ is a bright-sounding song about some pretty somber topics. A modern-sounding production with an almost-rapped vocal part, this song about someone giving you hope when you know they are going to hurt you is one of the album’s more bustling and memorable moments.
After a gorgeous and engaging closer with ‘How Do I’ and its lush harmonies and minimal, piano-driven arrangement, it is easy to see that Therese’s short EP has not a single dud on it. A songwriter who is capable of tapping into some deep and vulnerable places in her psyche, her lyrics are brash yet tasteful, making her songs seem real and livable. Relatable and rewarding, Masochist is a solid, multi-faceted listen that takes shorter time than it should.