June McDoom has released her self-titled debut EP June McDoom, a collection of five sonorous and lush ballads that reveal the true colossal breadth of the folk-soaked singer/songwriter. Raised in a Jamaican household on a diet of reggae before discovering a kindred love of vintage folk, one of the purposes of not just the EP but McDoom’s music as a whole has been cultivating a space for voices of color within a genre lacking them. On June McDoom all those threads come together in profoundly cathartic ways, saturated as they are in the bloom of her rolling soundscapes.
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In a lot of ways, that rejuvenation has required no small amount of reinvention, from experimentation with analog and digital recording styles to weaving all her own eclectic inspirations into her resounding melodies. Album opener “Babe, You Light Me Up,” she conjures up a swell of sublime strings guided by her ever-radiant croons. On the spacey, instrumental wanderings of “Piano Song,” McDoom slips into a dream state of buoyant introspection; while “On My Way” offers up a haunting longing amidst the quiver of its entangled textures.
The inherent awe of every song on June McDoom lies in its creator’s ethereal and unabashed intimacy. In the way she brings to life these living, verdant melodies that envelop you in their warmth. Even the deeply melancholic, like “Stone After Stone,” burns ardently with hope (“I carry on / I carry on” she echoes). Be sure to listen to her first single “The City” as well — another prime example of the kind of stirring and enthralling music she creates. And keep an eye out for more music from McDoom!
Visit June McDoom on their Bandcamp and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Words by Steven Ward
Listen to June McDoom’s debut EP June McDoom below!
