Sira Garcias’s latest 4-chapter EP is a delightful sounding collection of bold and empowering songs that mirror a multicultural background and a varied musical palette that ranges from latin to neoclassical, with a few unconventional stops in between.
Based in London, Sira Garcias is a singer and songwriter whose wide vibrato and sensible approach to the concept of ‘powerful vocals’ make her songs immediately endearing and easily accessible. On ‘Your Choice’, Sira’s latest EP, we can witness her tapping into a colorful tapestry of musical traditions, with each being delivered in support of her grabbing voice, poignant words, and impassioned piano arpeggios.
Your Choice is ultimately an easygoing release of chamber and alternative pop that aims in no way, shape, or form to be challenging. Instead, the 4 songs on this EP are equally soft and pillowy, seemingly taking pride in their acoustic nature, full of air and space and tasteful timbres. With a neo-classical intro, followed by a latin piece, then a piece that carries over from celtic folk to an outro of space-age, ambient electropop, Your Choice is an extremely varied, short, and sweet listen that have the strong, commanding voice of Sira in its fore, leading the way, and giving the whole experience a sense of place.
The alternative medical practitioner seems successful in translating healing powers to her music, starting with the title piece. ‘Your Choice’ is an effervescent pop ballad that packs a lyrical punch. Introducing the third essential element of the album, the string arrangements, this chamber pop piece, featuring a minimal choir and a jangly percussion section, has plenty of memorable melodies, and just as important, Sira’s strongest and most direct vocal delivery on the EP’s 4 songs. ‘Corruption the Awakening’ stuns with its Spanish guitar intro. Acoustic, melodic, percussive, there’s absolutely nothing to hate. Then the song follows with an empowering chord structure and a vocal delivery that has settled into a brooding stance of power, instead of belting notes, Sira carefully enunciates and deliberately says the words. A strong piece that carries arguably the EP’s most immediate impact.
‘Forever’ follows. The shortest piece on the album features a sweet violin part that took me back to peaceful taverns in the old English countryside, then a piano part and a composition that took me to powerful, modern piano ballads from the 80s. A song for weddings and a song for contemplation, ‘Forever’ is the album’s most peaceful chapter. ‘Destine (Live)’ is a sublime and gorgeous piece that revolves around a buzzing Hammond organ that gets progressively hairier as the song progresses and expands. The interplay between the hypnotic arpeggios and the low, soaring strings creates a texture that is unmatched on the album and is one of the more provocative sounds that I’ve heard in months.
‘Your Choice’ is an extremely beautiful EP that easily stands out as much as the person behind it does. An absolute delight that ends way too soon.