Building on from her single White Rabbit, which I covered back in December, Bay Area musician Courtney Farren is back with a new EP, Rabbit King.
Featuring three tracks in addition to White Rabbit, Farren’s new EP demonstrates surprisingly diverse soundscapes. The lo-fi, hi energy clash of that prior single is a distinctive moment within a release that is undeniably broader in its ambitions.
EP opener King marries soft keys, glassy vocals and reverb to create something introspective, authentic yet polished. Care is a woozy, reflective and softly played electronic piece laced with a sense of dread — foreboding introduced via uneasy bass tones and a nervous vocal. In contrast to everything else here, EP closer Happy is brittle and bruised, a heartfelt and vulnerable piece about the challenge in finding contentment.
What stays with me, having spent time with Rabbit King, is how varied Farren’s talent is. This is an EP with as much depth as it has accessibility — the kind of thing you can instantly appreciate, yet has the complexity to reward repeated listens.
Check out Happy below. The full EP is currently on YouTube.