MUSIC REVIEW: ROZZI – Hymn For Tomorrow [EP]

Label: BMG Records

Release Date: July 23, 2021

Rating: 93%

Reviewer: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

According to a recent press release: “As we grow up, being vulnerable becomes harder. But for Rozzi, openness is a sign of perseverance. That’s how the LA-based neo-soul luminary has designed her “dangerously personal” new Hymn For Tomorrow EP — the first installment of a new full-length album coming later this year — due out July 23 on BMG.”  I decided to take this for a spin and I am so glad I invested the time, as this disc is full of soul and a killer vibe.  Disc opener “How’d You Learn To Lie Like That” unfolds slowly and softly, allowing us to feel the warm embrace and welcoming tones of Rozzi’s lead vocal.  The song has a cool groove that perfectly supports the vocal, especially on the emotionally charged chorus.  This one draws you in and invites you to stay for the next 23 minutes.  Do yourself a favor, ease back, and enjoy.  “June” has a different vibe woven into it and blends in a cool soul vibe that permeates the music and drives the track with a calculated sound.  This track is built for the stage and should get people up and slow dancing in place as they step into the summer vibe Rozzi creates on this one.  “If I’m Gonna Love You” is a cool swirl of the opening track and the light jam that is “June.”  This one has a cool vocal threaded between guitars and beats, laying a perfect musical foundation for the slightly shifting sounds and textures of the track and disc.

“I Can’t Go To The Party” is a smoky track that leans heavy on the beats and even heavier on the texture of Rozzi’s voice.  The ad lib vocals that decorate the bridge add a bit of depth to the track.  “Mad Men” takes off slowly, but when Rozzi drapes her vocal across the minor musical accompaniment as the track builds, we are treated to a track that seems to check all the soul boxes.  There is an emotional component in the vocal that has a slightly different feel to it than some other tracks, but this one adds to the strength of the EP.  Titular track “Hymn For Tomorrow” is a fun track that has a cool musical component underneath the vocal that seems to pop and punch as it flows in the mix.  The song has a cool texture that stands out among the other tracks without deviating from the path cut by them.  Disc closer “i dk” has a heavier beat underneath the mix that accentuates the lower ranges of Rozzi’s range as she weaves through the verse and chorus vocally.  She keeps things even keeled and solid, giving the disc a perfect outro that prompts you to kick it back to the beginning so you can enjoy this ride one more time.

Tracklisting: How’d You Learn To Lie Like That – I Can’t Go To The Party – June – Mad Men – If I’m Gonna Love You – Hymn For Tomorrow – i dk

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Category: CD Reviews