Emma Elizabeth’s new single ‘Higher’ is good energy, girl power, juicy guitar solos and infectious melodies, all concentrated in a 2:35-minute pop rock tune with a modern sound, plus a pinch of 2000s Avril Lavigne.
The song starts with a stripped down chorus, with Emma’s crisp and controlled vocals singing over Danny The Indie’s piano chord progression that accounted for the inception spark of the song. The two make a good team, as Emma’s lyrics and catchy vocal line perfectly compliment the instrumental.
It’s no surprise that we noticed the attention to detail in the drum parts, before finding out that Danny is a drummer. As a touch of modern production, the first third of the song features an electronic beat, staying within the realms of indie pop. But this develops into an acoustic drum performance over the pre-chorus, and fully kicks into action after the second chorus.
The shift from indie pop to pop rock is not the only surprise. The instrumental interlude features a full-on guitar solo, a rare but very welcome feature in today’s releases. The solo is melodic and tasteful, and does a great job in preparing the listener for the upbeat energy that follows in the last chorus.
Emma’s vocals impart just the right amount of power, and her timbre hits the balance between being unique and memorable and having that commercial sound.
The song features bass by Kaku and guitar by Liam Cloud. After the initial production, it was recorded at Room 2 Studios in Barcelona with Oscar Garcia, then mastered by Carlos Donoso at Laguna Studios.
Made of contrasts and dynamics, polished production and excellent performances from all involved, ‘Higher’ is a small hidden gem worth uncovering.
Julia Tache is a musician, social media enthusiast and writer. She releases music under the moniker Jewelia, is the founder of IndieGems and co-owner of Dual Productions.