Francesca Louise - Melancholic Antidote (2020)

Francesca Louise aims true beside such paragons as Joni Mitchell and Carole King on her debut EP, Melancholic Antidote. Tireless energy and an inclination towards developing timeless hooks, melodies, and messages leave lasting impressions from the rising singer-songwriter. The six songs of on her EP are stunning from head to toe, replete with inherently heartfelt and knowingly accessible folk-pop arranging that run head-and-shoulders above many of her contemporaries' debuts.

At its center is a surprisingly powerful vocal instrument. Louise commands melodic runs on mid-tempo scorcher "If I'm Wrong" and belts an impressive crescendo on "Seasons Change". A keenness for building approachable layers in her instrumental shifts makes for captivating musical moments. At its most palpably heartfelt moments, Louise strips her compositions back into beautifully modest refrains. Melancholic Antidote's titular centerpiece features the artist at a piano and only that, delivering a gorgeous performance for listeners to explore and to paint their own narratives between the lines.