Life After by Hoeksema

Debut EP from Calgary-based Hoeksema is a sorrowful affair combining sweetly sung vocals with tinkling piano and delicate electronics, not a million miles from Sufjan Stevens if you swap the banjo for ivories. Life After is five compositions that track the emotional journey of life's challenges of dealing with loss through heart-wrenching melodies and poignant lyrics, from bare-bones singer/acoustic tracks like Poser and (fv) to mournful strings on Wake Ache to a glimmer of hope on standout track Palais.

Palais' attempts to dissect the fragile conversation of a mind that is struggling to reconcile a loss of purpose, which can feel a little bit like falling through the sky in a bad dream. You're anticipating to hit the ground, bracing for the punch, waiting for the impact, but the impact never actually comes and you're just there, falling.

I previously mentioned that Palais piqued my interest, the melody triggering a youthful memory of Elliott Smith or Lou Barlow, and it's in this group of celebrated singers I place Hoeksema; he certainly carries the same lo-fi-struggling-artist vibe at least.

This is his debut EP and it's out today on Good Eye Records.

• Rating: 9/10
• Listens: 18
• Highlight: Palais
• Label: Good Eye Records
• Release Date: 10th November, 2017