Faye Meana's New Sound is Something to Watch Out For on New EP 'ninety8'

Crediting her mother’s love of disco and the influence it has had on this project, this new 6-track EP has set up Faye to become a leading artist in the new era of artists on the rise in London. Bouncing off reinforcements from the likes of COLOURS and radio support from the likes of Jamz Supernova and Jess Iszatt of BBC Introducing London, the release of ninety8 further propels Faye Meana into a star position within the music scene.

London-born Faye brings together a unique blend of genres, creating her own pocket within the music scene. Taking inspiration from the likes of St.Panther, Rosalia and L’Impératrice, Meana has managed to effortlessly incorporate the mesmerising sound of 80’s disco and uplift it through the use of electronic and R&B. 

This project brings the listener through the three stages of time. From the past, where your met with shimmering synthesizers, to the current day, when you hear the complex rhythms and perfectly executed song-writing. Ending in the future, there is a rejection of the ‘norms’ of mainstream music and pushing a new sound that’s hard to encapsulate in words. This retro-futurist project carries the vibrant pulse of her alternative sound to her listeners and beyond.

‘On & On’ begins the EP, immediately sending you to a different space. A fun listen that entertains the ear while also dealing with heavy relationship troubles. The balance between the lightness of the track sonically, and the heavy feelings work well in balancing each-other out and giving listeners the opportunity to listen to the track in moments of complete different attitudes.

‘Run’ is a perfect transition into another disco inspired track, but showing elements of R&B peeking through. The tempo remains balanced throughout the first tow tracks and notably shows the effort placed upon sequencing of the tracks, even off of a shorter project than listeners may be used to.

‘Catch’ is just right for late summer nights with its warm, textured production, and further emphasises Faye Meana’s inherent wanderlust that forms the heartbeat of the ‘ninety8’ EP. The track acts as a pit-stop in the EP, giving the listener time to digest the mixture of sounds being displayed throughout the body of work.

‘No Hay Que Llorar’ marks Meana’s first release where she mixes English and Spanish. It leans into the reggaeton genre and takes inspiration from the Spanish music scene. The tracks drums are hard-hitting and crunchy which is completely contrasting Meana’s vocals, which glide angelically across the track.

‘Run’ manages to take the track right back to the 80’s sound we heard in the opening tracks without being forced. The dreamy pop-production transcends time and is reminiscent of the resurgent of 80’s music we’ve seen in recent years with hits like Kate Bush’s, ‘Running up the Hill’ coming back into the forefront of the charts. This is what Meana had to say about ‘Run’.

“This new release is about the desire to hide from the world when heightened emotions take over, and the vulnerability that the daytime exposes in times of distress."

‘So Badly’ concludes the EP, and wraps up Meana’s view on the troubled relationships she’s discussed throughout the course of the last 23 minutes. The honest and soulful, latin-inspired offering brings a unique fusion of sounds. The focus for me, on this last track, was Meana’s vocal capability and the reduced production helped to uplift the message.

Faye Meana has not only been able to write a honest body of work, but has mastered the art of production, being the producer behind all 6 tracks. Exploring themes of turmoil and shame, while also mixing it withe playful takes on pop and rogation give Faye a unique pocket in the UK music scene. Distinctively her own, but encompassing and drawing inspirations from the best, she has been able to solidify her sound and I’m eager to see what road she takes next.

Listen to ‘ninety8’ by Faye Meana below.