Kelsie Kimberlin, an American-Ukrainian musician and singer, creates music that is both accessible and deeply impactful, addressing significant social themes with dual meanings. From her early days singing in choirs and participating in Yoko Ono’s Peace Project to her prolific work in music studios, Kelsie is involved in every facet of her art, from writing to filming — and on her latest album, “The Drawer”, she seeks to use her music to inspire global dialogue and kindle hope; keep reading for my thoughts!
The opener to the album, “The Drawer”, is the title track — and right from the start of the album, there’s this aura of peace and calm that Kelsie brings to the fore; from the gentle pianos in the intro to her soft vocal style, the atmosphere is set; and Kelsie brings simply laid, yet graceful narrative, while her harmonies only serve to elevate the track further. Drop the soft percussion, and the rhythm settles beautifully— setting the stage for the rest of the album rather gracefully.
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Segueing to the second track, “Fatal Attraction” is a bit of a more uptempo affair, with a bit more mysterious and dark an energy, as Kelsie breaks away from the downtempo nature of the intro, this time bringing in the pop influences of the 90s with her sound, that makes for a jiving, uptempo listen — her voice remains the focus here too, her melodic arrangement hitting all the right spots, bringing a smile to the listener’s face.
The third track of the 8-piece album, “Meet Me Anywhere”, marks “The Drawer”’s return to a softer, more minimalistic sound in the intro, while bringing the pace up gently with the electro pop infused production reminiscent of the style on “Fatal Attraction”.
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As we journey through the album, it seems prudent to take a minute to talk about the production on “The Drawer” — constantly alternating in influences, the album’s production really gives Kelsie the width and room to experiment with her vocal styles, really showing off her diversity and versatility as a songwriter. The elements of the production remain mostly minimalistic and accessible with not too much to overwhelm; instead, there is tasteful use of the strings, the pianos, basses and synths to maximise the storytelling on this album, maximising the emotive impact this project carries.
Some other standouts on this album include the halfway-point “January Through December” with its positive yet nostalgic themes, “Parking Lot” with its more uptempo commercial pop sound that retains the groove needed to get you moving on the dance floor; and as we bid adieu to “The Drawer” with “Recovery”, we’re left with not much but a huge grin on our faces.
All in all, “The Drawer”, by Kelsie Kimberlin: A versatile collection of tracks that’s guaranteed to suit any mood, and charm every listener that stumbles across it. Easy winner! Take a listen to the album here:
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