EP Review: Alex Amor – 'Love Language'
Love. The eternal mystery. There is only so much to be said about how to find, attract, manifest the perfect partner; the rest is, well, science. Or is it? You may want to stay and find out as Scottish artist Alex Amor takes apart the many complexities of romantic relationships on immersive debut EP ‘Love Language’.
Dressed in silky smooth tones of midnight blue, the ‘Love Language’ EP explores not only human relationships but their most personal aspect: How do I want to be loved? Inspired by Gary Chapman’s book ‘The Five Love Languages’, Alex takes you on a journey of self-exploration and makes more than one acute observation on the importance of communication. Most notably on title track ‘Love Language’. Slow moving beats and a bass driven dynamic evoke a deep sense of groundedness – you may call it realism, clarity or quite simply confidence and determination - as Alex speaks a tragic truth. “[It’s] about a relationship that fails to align. Opposites can sometimes attract but in this case, they repel,” she explains. “I am obsessed with paradox and juxtaposition - calm and chaos, dark and light, serious and playful. This EP shows both sides of the coin for me too: my cynicism for love and also succumbing to it despite being cautious to begin with.” This internal battle of conflicting emotions seeps through the EP’s stunning soundscapes, turning dreamy melodies into hazy visions and sprinkling even the most gorgeous chorus with a sense of uncertainty. ‘Prove Me Right’ is a direct manifestation of Alex’s tumultuous mindset. Gentle vocals plead with logic while warm, surprisingly upbeat melody lines drag you deeper and deeper into the swirling chaos of love. ‘Love Language’ closes with elegant ballad ‘So Far’, a track whose solemn lyricism feels like a natural conclusion to a record rooted in honesty. As Alex says: “This EP reflects a recent time of my life where I am a woman struggling for autonomy. I’m moving into adulthood and I’m desperately trying to make sense of its complexities. Though there’s no happy resolve at the end of the EP, I feel more self-assured than ever, more me than I’ve ever been. Naturally evolving, my ethos remains the same: to stay true to my intuition and try my best every day.”
Though it spans only five tracks, ‘Love Language’ showcases a wide variety of intricate sounds. With mesmerising clarity and intoxicating vulnerability, this record not only puts Alex Amor on the map as a marvellous songwriter, it opens up a crucial topic of conversation: What is your love language?
Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven