Joey Grace – Beautiful Storm (2018)

Joey Grace has taken the difficult moments of life and turned them into the inspiration for Beautiful Storm. The EP tackles duality and dichotomy in a storm of electronic tones, synths and dream pop. Feelings of being overwhelmed and hopeless tinge each track while some take you on a rollercoaster of varying emotions.

Grace’s songwriting and unique creativity shine in each track as she brings a bit of herself to each. Her solo journey began in 2018 when she hit out on her own tired of playing in other people’s bands. Bringing her inspiration to life, this EP is a wonderful introduction to her sound and will make you long for her to release more music.

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The EP starts with ‘It’s Mine’ which plucks its way across your ears. There is a fragile feeling to the tones in the opening that is enhanced by the tender tones of Grace’s vocals. The deeper beats that thump against your head are an interesting contrast to the softer music. The melody takes a turn with some more dance vibes taking over as the synths sing across the soundscape. The musical interlude in the track is wonderful as it builds you up before you dip back into the tender vocals.

‘Racer’ has a richer opening that comes to your ears from a distance. The almost ethereal tones that take up the higher levels of the melody are met in the middle ground by the driving beats. Grace’s vocals are airy and add to the ethereal feeling of the soundscape. There is a rather intense emotional rollercoaster hiding in the ethereal tones of this track. The ups and downs of the beats bolster this emotional movement as the lyrics take you through a relationship from meeting to everything falling apart.

There is a dreamy feeling to ‘Guns on Sunday’ that has you floating in a nebulous space. Grace’s vocals are deeper on this track adding a sense of gravitas to the performance and lyrics. There is a poetry to the lyrics that blend almost abstract imagery with darker emotions. While there is a dreamy edge to the music, there is also a darkness that brings a realisation that the situation you are in is not good for you.

‘The Last Time’ has an interesting opening with a stop-start flow that grabs your attention. The high tones of the music bring a soft feeling that enhances the delicate vocals. The deep beats bring a new edge of sultry vibes to the music. The interplay between the deep beats and sparkling higher tones continues throughout the track. This bolsters the emotions of the lyrics that tremble through your chest.

The piano line that opens ‘Setting Sun’ brings an earthy and organic feeling to the song. The strummed guitar adds to this while the clicking tones have your senses dancing to the music. This song is very different from the others on the EP bringing a more intimate feeling. Even when the shuffling beats make an entrance, you continue on a fairy-lit path through the touching vocals.

The EP comes to a close with the title track ‘Beautiful Storm’ which brings some of those stop-start tones of ‘The Last Time’ to the opening. This leads you to Grace’s vocals which are captivating in their emotionally heavy delivery. On the chorus, she breaks free to rise above the storm clouds of the synths in the melody. The melody feels like dark storm clouds rolling in and threatening a deluge. You can almost taste the electricity of the storm in this song which is utterly wonderful.

Joey Grace turns hard experiences into a captivating EP through the dreamy and alternative tones of Beautiful Storm. Each track has a different feeling that draws you into the experience inspiring it and washing you with her emotions. With delicate vocals, emotional hits and lush melodies, she has you walking through the ups and downs of life.

Find out more about Joey Grace on her website, Instagram and Spotify.