Grace Enger Shares a Riveting Life Chapter in 'The Alchemist' EP
To be both observer and protagonist in one's own life trajectory is an art, a deeply personal one showcased by the truest of artists—artists like Grace Enger, whose new record, The Alchemist, provides ample evidence. This seven-song EP lives in the eye of the beholder—that beholder is Enger—showing us that all experiences, good and bad, can be viewed as a necessary chapter in a life lived and shared, complete with the knowledge that the book is still writing itself.
The opening song, bearing the name of the record, uses piano keys to skip us into the warm vocal melody established by Enger, as snare and kick drum strut, distortion prances, and all elements make for an uplifting alt-pop track. Both reflective and reassuring, the song sees the best in others, past faults, with fantasy reigning supreme over reality. Delicate sounds mix with growling fuzz to better define the blurred emotions of hope and heartbreak.
Paying homage to the acoustic numbers that brought Enger to prominence on social media, "It's No Fun" builds from those plucks to full electric instrumentation with power and anthemic waves that cleanse away betrayal. "It's no fun, the way I need you / It's not fair how you're okay / It's no good to need somebody / When it doesn't go both ways," Grace sings her heart out, as every sound surrounding her swells, rocking and shaking the foundations of the story. All that is lost in a breakup—friends and more—is a relatable tale, one that helps us connect with Enger and her story blossoming.
"Think I Wanna See You Again" trots and trots, as if almost gaining speed for a liftoff, culminating in a cheery and adventurous sonic journey. Enger showcases sophisticated control of her vocals, moving from rapid verses to falsetto-led choruses that keep pace with the instrumentation, making for a very catchy romp. "Habits Die Hard" is a slower song with emotional weight and perhaps the album's most revealing and honest track. As Enger describes her own successes, she unearths the realities of a lingering love lost, the scars left on a mind assimilating to a new version of itself, discarding what it can while absorbing all.
Enger today stands as a burgeoning artist, caught between an old life and a more promising future. "A Year From Now" dares to picture the aforementioned future but accepts that it is still today. A thick and groovy bassline leads a country-esque composition that seeps in to get the body moving. A glass of whisky on a starry night or a cold beer by a campfire would not be out of place for a song of this rhythm. "Girls Like Boys" is serious about the expectations in relationships, twisted at times, natural in others; it is the grappling with them that is universal.
"3D" closes the album with an acoustic number that puts Enger's voice and heart on full display. In the lyrics, Enger recognizes that no matter how hard we may try to see the world in black and white, it inevitably reveals its complex narratives. Ultimately, that is The Alchemist—a record that aims to show the story of an artist as she views it, as she lives and reflects on it in real-time. We can admire, recognize the familiar, or mesmerize in a soul observing its trajectory.
Listen to The Alchemist below:
