This is a perfectly crafted collection of songs created over the past several years, meant as a massive tribute to English artist Alina’s incredible artistic progress. Over the years, Alina has performed these stunning pieces for enraptured audiences, drawing devoted fans in distant places such as Bristol, Amsterdam, and Brighton who have been anxiously asking for a studio version. Finally, on October 2nd, Alina decided to meet all of their expectations by releasing an absolutely stunning five-track EP named Cordially Invited. This is an EP characterized by great patience, perfectionism, and pure artistry. Let’s dig deeper into the amazing sonic quality and emotional depth of these stunning pieces.
The first song, “Cordially Invited,” presents itself not with a bang, but with a fantastic grounding and intimacy. In fact, this song starts off with a clear and distinct picking of an electric guitar, accompanied by subtle room ambience, making the listener feel like he is in the very recording room while listening to the music being made. The song is about taking courage into one’s own hands. The character of the song is someone who has had enough of everyone and everything. She’s so frustrated that she swears out loud, letting all her intrusive thoughts come out loud. Alina’s singing in this song is a great example of intensity under control; her voice starts low and contemplative and builds up gradually into a passionate refrain supported by warm, swelling instruments.
Moving seamlessly into “(I’m) Good Enough For Me”, the album gains steam with the help of a catchy vocal and electric guitar melody coupled with a driving kick drum. The song talks about liberating oneself from unattainable standards. The lyrics are a personal dialogue with oneself concerning accepting oneself with all the imperfections. The character in the song stands up to the person who is always belittling her and making her question who she is that she has had enough. She no longer cares what he thinks about her because she has come to accept herself and know her worth. Here, the vocals of Alina are extremely flexible and vibrant and provide lightness to the verses with their rhythmic twists and turns before they explode into a powerful chorus. The song provides a unique combination of electric and percussive elements which create a highly inspiring atmosphere, encouraging listeners to ignore the criticism from others.
With “Bad Decisions,” the soundtrack takes a step forward to become a moody, mid-tempo song with an opening featuring clean, rhythmic guitar strums and a slow walking bassline that makes you feel like you are in the late night thinking about your life. “Bad Decisions” has an honest view of the stupid decisions and impulsive moments that we make in our youth that become an important part of who we are. The artist is capable of delivering a smooth vocal line with a conversational phrasing of the verses that turns into a rich and memorable melody. In addition, there is a layering of the instrumentals that adds a touch of acoustic guitar and percussion to make you feel comfortable with the idea that everybody makes mistakes.
The emotional heart, “I Think…,” starts with super-minimalistic ambient sounds of a piano, hovering in the air like a thought in the silence. The theme of the song is one of paralyzing hesitation in questioning one’s own motives while taking steps into unknown emotional territories, balancing between over-analysis and submission to the moment. Vocals by Alina in this track are extraordinarily vulnerable; she uses soft-spoken voices and feather-light falsettos, which sound almost whisper-like in their intimacy. In addition to the sparsely used backing, the song becomes poetic in its imprint on the listener.
Closing off the EP is its last song, “Horribly Right”; there is a soft, finger-plucked melody which soon turns into a huge, rhythmic arrangement built up from solid acoustic playing and percussion build-ups. It is all about the paradoxical horror of everything being okay, dealing with the psychological fear of waiting for the second shoe to drop when life feels too good to be true. It is hard not to be impressed with the vocal performance of Alina here. Her vocal abilities come out at full force as she smoothly goes from fragile, introspective verses to a triumphant, soaring chorus.
Alina is one artist who proves that with every album she drops, she truly is a force of nature with her captivating indie pop that is imbued with soulful introspection, which touches on your heartstrings directly. Alina’s lifelong passion for music is evident in every note she sings because she has been singing ever since she learned how to speak. Growing up in the world of musical theatre has made her inherently possess a flair for performance and stagecraft. As someone who has already invested ten years into developing her songwriting skills and honing her craft, Alina embodies the kind of poise one expects to see in a mature visionary. As an artist who has already received three distinctions at music college in Bristol and who has successfully held her ground in the bustling cultural environment of Amsterdam, she now finds herself in Brighton, where she continues to impress and take down the stages of the city with her music. She is not just producing songs; she is creating a legacy.
Whether one must overcome the immaturity of fully grown adults through their small-mindedness and childish acts, face the tormenting fears of a long-distance relationship, or succumb to the allure of forbidden love in its most exhilarating form, Cordially Invited is able to position itself firmly as an absolutely flawless and incomparable masterpiece. The sheer breadth of genres covered by Alina as she moves from one song to another, yet maintains a cohesive sound that ties the whole record together, is nothing short of astounding. It is rare in today’s day and age when one comes across such a refreshing piece of work. Alina doesn’t hesitate to jump straight into the deep end, singing out the naked truths that are spoken in hushed voices inside a closed room. She is a songwriter whose words are as cutting-edge and empathetic as they can be, making her a truly remarkable and one-of-a-kind artist who shines brightly into the future of the music industry.
Stream the “Cordially Invited” EP on Spotify
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