Rachel Chinouriri, Better Off Without EP
Parlophone Records
After a viral moment with her utterly enchanting lead single, Rachel Chinouriri has released Better Off Without – an EP that condenses down every glimmering indie-pop sensibility she has in her pocket into four earworm tracks. In its completion, the EP feels like it’s own little vignette, with a modest runtime that manages to pack the richest of atmospheres.
Of course, All I Ever Asked did this all on its own before the EP was even announced – simultaneously encapsulating the melancholy of a summer sunset and the hopeful, sparkling dawn that follows much later, Chinouriri’s vocals remain gorgeously evocative through the catchiness. Her ability to pack pop infectiousness without losing emotional depth shines across the EP, in the swaying hook of Happy Ending and the slow-jam bedroom-pop chorus of title track Better Off Without.
Conversely, Chinouriri’s hazy reflectiveness is the other defining feature of this EP. Happy Ending’s intro is instantly transformative, reminiscent of the reverberating moodiness of King Krule with its softened guitar lines. But the song doesn’t say blue-tinged all the way through, balanced out by Chinouriri’s easygoing storytelling, effortlessly navigating the map of emotion she’s woven through her instrumental layers. The same goes for Better Off Without, which is thematically sadder but delivered through the same translucent exploration of ups and downs. Backed by synth flourishes and fuzzy piano tones, Chinouriri’s sometimes-distorted, sometimes-silky delivery doesn’t just tell a story, but takes us on her journey.
The EP’s closer, Fall Right Out Of Love, is perhaps the most straightforward moment Chinouriri offers us – but it’s also definitely the most beautiful. The flickering acoustic guitar and panning synth sweeps build a picture of what we’re in for in the intro, setting an achingly melancholy tone, and this is only elevated when Chinouriri gives her most intimate vocal performance of the EP. Vulnerable, she reaches the sense of sadness that’s been simmering under the surface of the rest of the EP and turns it into the gentlest catharsis.
Better Off Without is not quite a whirlwind – it’s too soft for that – but maybe the brush of a breeze that’s fleeting, but so touching. Chinouriri’s dual knack for penning authentic lyrics and putting together dreamy vocals to match makes for a subtle, delightful listen that’s so easy to come back to again and again.
Better Off Without is out now.
