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Photo: Ryusei Sabi 

When life gets too loud, we all have our methods of finding grounding. For some, it’s hanging with a friend while sharing a comfort meal. For others, it’s doom-scrolling and bed rotting. For UMI, it’s talking to the wind.

A piece of her soul on a platter, UMI never shies away from reaching into the deepest bits of her awe-stricken heart and alchemizing it into sonic medicine. The four-track EP talking to the wind journeys through varying fragrances of love, from the kind you find in another person to the kind you find in their reflection of you.

Opening with “why don’t we go,” an indie-dance track that sets the spirit free, we’re immediately rocket-launched through the euphoria of sudden infatuation. Deeply connected to the inner child within, UMI centers her love in curiosity and play, and it’s viscerally contagious in her music. It’s hard not to walk away from an UMI song not feeling revitalized, which is unsurprisingly the intention of her elixir.

“happy im” is a standout single, with soft strums that soundtrack the humble singer accepting surrender. Love can be the hardest thing to say yes to, especially when it’s accompanied by the fear of “what if.” “happy im” is the celebration of doing it anyway, risk and all.

Producing the project alongside frequent collaborator V-Ron, everything UMI offers is drenched in spiritual intention. Her tongue is sacred and her guiding light is discernment, only feeding what feeds her back. This EP is no exception, as her parting words with its release were, “When I am confused about life, I go outside and talk to the wind. All the songs on this project feel like the wind to me. They give me the same feeling of peace and clarity. I trust it will do the same for you.”

Taking the project on the road this Spring, one can only imagine the healing that will spread as she tours globally.

Listen to talking to the wind below: