Julia Klot – Ghost (2021)
With her new EP Ghost, Julia Klot is telling the heart-wrenching tale of a wonderful yet complicated love. Through the tracks of the EP, she journeys through the progression of love to a serene and soulful pop sound. The style of the EP is a step away from her original piano-driven sound but retains the essence of her musicality.
While she transitions from the more indie sounds of her last album, Klot continues to fuse intricate melodics with her dynamic vocal range. With intriguing rhythms and poignant stories, she takes a significant step forward in her musical arrangement techniques. With a more mature sound that is covered in something touchingly youthful, the EP shows that she has so much to offer.
The title track ‘Ghost’ opens the EP with some delicate piano notes. The intricate piano line lifts Klot’s soulful vocals that look at the loss of a loved one. There is a deep sadness woven into her vocals even as they rise into the stratosphere. The string arrangement that comes in swings the track from the despair of loss to a touching understanding that those we lose are still with us. While the lyrics acknowledge the feeling of missing someone, the chorus brings the memories of the ghost of them to your mind.
‘Temporary Tattoo’ has a lighter feeling in the piano-driven opening. This is a bit at odds with the anxiety-riddled vocals and lyrics creating an interesting contrast that perfectly highlights the emotions of the song. The lyrics of this song are exquisite as they draw the fears you feel at the start of the relationship to the surface. While you shiver with these emotions, Klot leads you to the realisation that these feelings may be temporary and you will be able to work through them.
The delicate tones that open ‘Picture in a Frame’ have you resting in a sentimental soundscape. This is a cover version of the song by Tom Waits, but there is something utterly unique about it through the rearrangement. The mournful horns that sound in the background have a touch of nostalgia to them. Klot’s soulful vocal take on the song adds a heavy emotional hit while filling your chest with an expanding balloon of adoration and love.
‘Time to Miss You’ has a contemplative feeling to the opening like you are sitting at your leisure and thinking about life. This perfectly matches the lyrics which ponder the significance of love and the difficulty of being separated from your loved ones. There is something poignant about this single which really hits quite hard given everything that has happened in the last year. Through the lyrics, Klot touches on all the thoughts we have all had when considering the relationships in our lives.
The EP comes to an end with ‘I’ve Cried for You’ which opens with an expansive sombre soundscape. When Klot’s vocals enter, she sends shivers across your shoulders while knotting your throat with emotion. Every melodic element that enters has you shivering in the iciness of the soundscape as you are inundated with twilight feelings. As you shiver to the melody and vocals, the lyrics reflect on a toxic relationship where one person gives everything and the other only takes.
Julia Klot uses intricate piano lines and delicate string arrangements to bring her contemplations on love to life in ‘Ghost’. The EP takes you through losing a loved one, the anxiety of new relationships and reflections on a toxic relationship. While the music is a step away from her more indie tones, each song captures the essence of her sound.
Find out more about Julia Klot on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
