Shadow is Shadow Quesinberry, a twenty-something singer/songwriter from Mocksville, NC. She is releasing her debut EP Water & Air, where she introduces her bewildering electronic sound that highlights both startling vocals and a dark, meandering feel to audiences. Her husband, Ryan Dyson, plays a role in the process, having helped compose and arrange the tracks on this EP as well as for the most part, handling the engineering and mixing. Quesinberry’s vulnerable sound on this album points to an artist willing to bare all. The very DIY process also allows Quesinberry to show a more intimate and raw side to her music-making. In a very real sense, the minimalistic approach and sparse sound, in the end, only went on to magnify the emotional resonance of the record.
Water & Air opens up with “Fatality,” where some keys and synths sound out as beats gain traction. Quesinberry’s vocals are airy. There’s a buoyant feel to her vocals as the electronic riffs arrive. The track feels very dynamic, brimming with an immediate sound. Quesinberry’s vocals flit in and out of this song. This proved to be a good introduction to her sound. More ominous sounds come in towards the start of “Muse.” Some hip hop-inspired beats arrive as the sound of synths and keys give this track more mood and feeling. Quesinberry really utilizes her vocals here to give this number textures and feeling. Some R&B, soul and hip hop influences could be felt in this song as well. On “Mother,” background vocal harmonies give this a very choral vibe. The overdubbed overlapping vocal harmonies offered up a very lush appeal. For the most part, this track incorporated only vocal layers. The choral element produced a very celestial vibe. Back to the electronic vibes of the previous songs, more of Quesinberry’s dark sound is actualized in “Shell.” The synths gave an eerie and edgy feel. As the synths grow in sound, the moodiness of this track picks up a notch with Quesinberry’s captivating vocals. The singer/songwriter’s minimalistic sound seems to work here. More keys arrive in the start of “Happy.” Quesinberry’s vocals are solely accompanied by the sparse sound of keys. This closer felt more pop-based as the artist bids farewell on a softer and more upbeat note. From the get-go, I thought Quesinberry’s music sounded very similar to Billie Eilish. There was that stark sound accompanied with an electronic vibe that will only grow on you the more you listen on. A little on the lo-fi end, there was a very intimate feel to the recording as Quesinberry packs in the mood and feeling within these atmospheric numbers. Quesinberry says that she created all the instrumental parts vocally, using an a cappella app and a piano to play around with the sounds. If that is the case, then at the very core this was an a cappella undertaking with Quesinberry’s vocals the centerpiece to this entire album. This certainly feels this way as Quesinberry’s voice takes front and center, drawing listeners in with its simple vulnerability. As the singer/songwriter digs deep to share with us her personal story and innermost feelings, Water & Air is Quesinberry, up-close-and-personal.
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