If you haven't familiarized yourself with 16-year-old talent RAYE, now's your chance to hear what she has to offer, because as her debut EP, Welcome To The Winter, shows, she's a talent that's very much worth your time and attention. With RAYE's two preceding single releases, “Need Me” and “Hotbox”, the South London-based singer-songwriter sprung onto the scene, boasting an R&B sound very much her own. Now, in this seven-track debut, she's a unique vibe she's showing with each track. “Bad Faith" (one of our top picks) showcases RAYE's Rihanna-esque vocals and a catchy bass guitar and snare and hi-hat backed beat, and the two elements combine to create a track that could easily be heard on any hit radio station. The exemplification of the broad soundscape found on Welcome To Winter is shown in contrasting tracks like the synth-driven “Need Me” and the acoustic, laid-back tone of “Birdsong”—two additionally excellent works. RAYE is one of those acts that we just know is going to shoot to the top of the charts before long, and the way she's able to play off her employed synths with her voice is testament to this premonition. Her work on her EP here is deserving of very serious listens, and we’d recommend you have it handy as often as you can. Download it all for free from her website.
RAYE