In our streaming-fueled era, it feels like there’s more content than ever before. This can make it exceptionally difficult for artists to rise above the onslaught of “RIYL” emails in music writers’ inboxes — there’s just so much out there that it can feel impossible to find something fresh.
Today’s an exception, because I’m just not sure if I can think of another artist that’s got the sound of Saya Gray right now. Today, the Dirty Hit-signed artist releases the EP QWERTY and it’s a stunning collage of sound that’s difficult to describe and incredible to listen to. Her music sounds like a constantly-moving mosaic; there are tapped guitar solos, breakbeats, engaging and pitch-shifted vocal samples, acoustic guitar, elegant string sections, and so much more that I can’t identify perfectly. Sometimes it sounds like 100 gecs, sometimes it sounds like Dijon, or Radiohead, or Kara Jackson, or Frank Ocean — the main point is that you need to hear it immediately. Stream it below, and you can also watch a live performance of EP highlight “DIZZY PPL BECOME BLURRY ;)” featuring an eclectic ensemble assembled by Gray.
