Lowell Brings Electropop Goodness with i Killed Sara v. [stream]

Lowell is the sassy, straightforward, electropop songstress you haven’t heard yet — it’s time that changed. With a name derived from the French word for wolf, Lowell embodies the leader of the pack mentality. Her music explores hot topics like gender roles and rights while toning down the seriousness of the message with a fun, danceable atmosphere and, of course, a thumping beat. Resembling the societal defiance and powerful catchiness of MIA with the beat-driven style of Lorde, Lowell adds her own high-pitched, driving vocals to round out a fresh sound that is based in familiarity.

After catching the ears of top London producers such as Martin Terefe who works with KT Tunstall, James Blunt and Jason Mraz, Sacha Skarbek with Lana Del Rey, Adele and Miley Cyrus, James Bryan with Nelly Furtado and Paul Herman with Dido, Lowell began splitting her time between London and her native Canada to create her I Killed Sara V. EP. This collection of five songs cascades from raucous and rebellious to pensive and somber, hitting nearly every notch in between.

Beginning with the “bad, bad boys” of pounding opener, “Cloud 69”, Lowell’s lead track is a sensual heavy hitter, layered with mountains of synths, clap tracks, a variety of percussive sounds and vocals that range anywhere from screams to ethereal “ooohs.” It packs an entrancing punch of energy that leads beautifully into the second track, “88”. The “ooohs” return with an insatiable vengeance throughout an examination of faithfulness in relationships where swirling synths envelope a reoccurring, cathartic hook of Lowell’s vocals that questions, “Are you faithful/Are you true?” Set in the middle of the collection, “The Bells” is sure to be the EP’s most commercial-friendly track featuring hip hop beats laced with tinkling bell-like synths, a hypnotic chorus and the timely placement of “Hey! Where’d the beat go?” It’s complexity is simplified into reliability by way of “the bells and the beat.”

The last two tracks of the EP, “Palm Trees” and the titular “I Killed Sara V.”, are both the longest and most subdued, as Lowell delves into deeper emotions and different musical sounds. Her inner-angsty teen shines brightly in “Palm Trees”, where castanets, snaps and a tambourine give rhythm to her hazy vocals as they chant through a young examination of love. It’s an electropop dream with a touch of that ever-so-popular beat whose piano outro blissfully allows that dream to fade into nothingness. A notable stylistic difference is brought out in electro ballad, “I Killed Sara V.”. Proving her own self-awareness with lyrics like, “And I think too bad/Nearly everyone who came by my record has the money to keep themselves from knowing what the truth is that they get rich/Everyone else just lies beneath you.” Lowell’s soft, soothing vocals ease their way slowly through earnest lyrical imagery above the warmth of a piano and comfort of a steady bass synth.

The versatility of Lowell’s vocals and collection of songs are what makes this EP such a standout in a time of many talented sirens. As her bio reads, “Turns out you can still dance while confronting social norms; you can still have fun while defending equality. And Lowell’s stream of musical optimism makes it possible.”

I Killed Sara V. is out on Arts & Crafts now. I’m already awaiting the release of her full-length debut, We Loved Her Dearly.