Mary Jennings - Pyrotechnicolor

​Mary Jennings

Pyrotechnicolor
self-released; 2025

By Dan Weston
​

Pyrotechnicolor is shaped by patience and long attention. Mary Jennings wrote these six songs across nearly a decade, and that stretch of time registers in the way the material carries itself. Nothing sounds rushed or provisional. The songs appear deliberate, revised and reconsidered until they settle into place as a unified statement. I hear a writer who waited until the work could stand on its own terms rather than forcing cohesion early.

Fire operates as both image and organizing principle. It runs through the EP’s sound design and its emotional logic, shifting from contained heat to full ignition. The writing tracks social strain alongside personal rupture. That overlap raises the stakes without pushing the record into diaristic territory. The songs stay outward facing, supported by controlled production choices and collaborations that reinforce clarity rather.
The title track, “Pyrotechnicolor,” opens the EP with a widescreen sense of scale. Its cinematic sweep brought to mind the visual maximalism of Avatar, with vocals that lean closer to pop than I expected. It plays like end credits after a epic movie, carried by layered percussion and carefully staged dynamic shifts. The sound design stands out most here, especially during a lighter, playful passage that echoes the melodic sensibility of The Postal Service.

“Phoenix on Fire” sustains that sense of scale while moving toward empowerment. Heavy hall reverb and open space give the song a ceremonial quality, and at moments its intensity recalls the dramatic pop contours of Zola Jesus. “Smolders” pivots inward which was a nice change in scope.

It is more restrained and intimate, built around a classic pop ballad structure that prioritizes vocal presence over spectacle. “Drown in the Desert” follows with strong internal shifts that keep the arrangement in motion, while “Take a Number” introduces immediate drama through its opening line before expanding into broad, high impact passages. The closer, “Burn,” escalates steadily, letting tension accumulate rather than rushing toward resolution.

Across the EP, Jennings leans into familiar pop ballad frameworks while elevating them through thoughtful sound design. There are moments where I sensed the songs pressing toward stranger territory, in the orbit of artists like Björk, but the material ultimately stays grounded and accessible. That restraint works in the record’s favor. The passion behind these songs is unmistakable, and Pyrotechnicolor reads as a confident foundation rather than a final word. I am curious to hear where Jennings takes this balance next.

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