Label: Loma Vista Recordings
By Millie Throp
Alt-pop banshee Indigo De Souza ushers her fourth studio album to much rejoice from her fans. Feeding into the palms of the indie-femme cabal, she once again outlets her aching sentiments through her buzzy musicianship. Since her debut release in 2018, the singer-songwriter has penned flowering soundscapes from the emotive doldrums she toys with.
Voicing at once the pitfalls of romantic comedown and the highs of first love, the North Carolina native this time brings us ‘Precipice’; 11 tracks that are as dandy as they are complex.
From the jump, ‘Crying Over Nothing’ raises frolicking momentum in its 3-minute duration. Flexing De Souza’s eclectic oral range amidst its synthesised euphoria, the track upholds a catchiness whilst remaining inherently cool.
Where the release’s relatable anecdotes then come to a head, ‘Crush’ feels akin to an edgy girlhood anthem. Interspersed with giddying melodies and heavenly female vocals, it’s perhaps a tune to pass between wallflowers, or for playing at volume in balmy, unmade bedrooms.
Presenting a wave break in tempo, ‘Not Afraid’ then welcomes a midway shift, setting in motion some darker introspection, yet still with familiar euphoria and electronic uplift. Before, with a return to wisp and breeziness, ‘Be Like The Water’ amplifies a disruptively melodic chorus. Weighted with lyrics seemingly written in the face of an estranged co-conspirator, it’s bountifully layered with attitude.
Soon follows ‘Heartthrob’, which has likewise seen success since it debuted around a month ago. With delicious riffs and lyrics like “when I’m a grown up, I wanna have a full cup,” it reaffirms the dichotomy of teenage angst and youthful possibility that runs throughout its entirety. Plainly, it’s one to chant in unison.
Festooned with more grounding chords, ‘Heartbreaker’ brings resolve and a steady drumbeat nearing the album’s closing, before the penultimate ‘Pass It By’ offers a contrastingly energetic soundboard. Concluding finally with title track, ‘Precipice’, the release sounds out with mellow notes that build on and strike contrast to the artist’s treble tone.
Overall, the album is sparsely acoustic compared to De Souza’s prior recordings, but somehow feels as tender, taking the synth notes we heard in 2023’s ‘All of This Will End’ and running with them. Gloriously femme, ‘Precipice’ justifies her ranking as “a no skips artists” in the YouTube comments section. It’s an album to be sent via bluetooth and enjoyed on a trip back from the coast. Sunroof: open.
Listen to ‘Precipice’ here: