With soothing vocals, daring experimental art pop and folky rhythms, Saya Gray’s debut album SAYA transports listeners through the different stages of heartbreak and letting go of past lovers.
Released on Feb. 21 by Marion Murata Inc., the Canadian-Japanese singer-songwriter’s album fuses bold lyricism, mellow soundscapes and techno-rock elements.
In an interview with Exclaim!, Gray said she has always been immersed in music. Her mother ran a music school and her father played trumpet alongside many iconic jazz artists. Gray entered Toronto’s music scene herself as a 16-year-old, playing with various bands and later touring with Daniel Caesar and Willow Smith.
Listening to Gray for the first time, you can easily picture her sound as a personification of her fashion and personality: eclectic and bold, but also incredibly down to earth.
In the same interview, Gray said SAYA’s production began during a road trip to rural Japan following a breakup. For her, being on the road with her guitar provided a source of comfort, eventually leading her to release a collection of songs that reflected the myriad of conflicting emotions she was experiencing.
“..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” is the first destination of Gray’s voyage through overcoming heartache. As we are first immersed in a sweet guitar rhythm, Gray’s vocals soon take over with a robotic-like dialect, followed by a buildup of tambourine beats and bubble-popping sounds.
The album’s lead single “SHELL ( OF A MAN )” then features spright guitar melodies accompanied by Gray’s airy vocals, with lyrics about the push-and-pull of wanting to leave someone who you know isn’t good for you.
Calming synth keyboards and echoing reverbs come alive in “LINE BACK 22” along with electric guitar and dreamy harp strings. The soundscape evokes feelings of lying down while endlessly swaying your head to the rhythm. Lyrics such as “The sun sets on us / Our love, a blue lotus in the mud / All you do is kick up dust / So come on, must I remind you?” create a storyline of losing someone you thought would stay by your side. The song’s genre later shifts as the drums speed up with each passing second, representing how lost someone can feel after putting in all their effort to keep a relationship afloat.
Gray’s harmonic and dainty vocals shine through in “PUDDLE ( OF ME )” and “10 WAYS ( TO LOSE A CROWN )” which contain poetically vivid lyrics and angelic a capella moments. The calming nature of these tracks provide a moment for listeners to dive deep into Gray’s healing journey, as she gracefully sings, “You know there’s a puddle of me at your feet, isn’t that what you needed of me? / You know how obsessed I can get with your needle and thread pulling in and out of me.”
“EXHAUST THE TOPIC” is perhaps the album’s most powerful track, as the song isn’t necessarily defined by any one genre. It represents Gray’s artistry altogether — she isn’t afraid to bend the rules and defy expectations. What starts as a mix of different guitars with a rippling effect against one another transforms into an exhilarating electric guitar solo with pounding drums. The blending and crashing sounds can feel like the chaos of having multiple doubts inside your head battling each other out, making it a delightfully intense tune.
We then return to normalcy in “LIE DOWN..” with a calming acoustic guitar with an echoing effect, along with a concluding synth and keyboard melody that slowly drifts away.
While it’s difficult to pin down its exact genre, SAYA’s themes are easily recognizable. Anyone will be able to connect with the authentic lyricism Gray has penned out for her tracks. Although many of the songs seem to take on an eccentric hybrid of genres, they all provide a comforting hug for those who need it after having their heart broken.
Featured image by Audrey Pridham/The Charlatan.
