7/10
Over these last few months, Floridian artist Velvet Sun has been busy crafting a fresh and distinctive direction in which to call his own. Bringing together this broad and emotive approach to alt-rock with a vibrant and progressive flair for production throughout, his tenure to date has been established through his dynamic debut single 'Wait', a track that turned plenty of heads upon its release earlier this year. And with the buzz around him continuing to grow, he returns once again to deliver his stellar debut EP 'Empire', a collection that cements his place as one of the more impactful names on the rise right now.
Much like what 'Wait' introduced us to, 'Empire' blends these warm and lofty tones with guitar-driven groove from start to finish. Keeping the vibes as rich as possible with his emotive vocal presence throughout, this four-track outing sees him unveil a wealth of mystifying delights that all add something new and interesting to his emerging sound. Whether he is looking to lure us in with wondrous textures or offer a more anthemic impact, Velvet Sun always manages to keep us on our toes with his forward-thinking aesthetic at every turn.
It may be his only collection to date, but 'Empire' shows he already has a strong and confident approach to his sound right now. Brimming with this expressive approach to both songwriting and production, he is definitely one to keep a firm eye on for the months ahead as well.