Pop-soul artist Nahli has recently released her debut EP Therapy Side A. The five tracks brim with confessional lyrics on love and heartbreak, all brought together over pounding urban beats.
The EP bursts into life with Relapse and its heavy bass and soulful keys. Nahli’s vocals kick in, gentle but packing a punch the way she effortlessly mixes high notes with the rap-style verses. The track’s downtempo and achingly cool with lyrics about questioning whether or not to meet up with an ex as she wants to remain strong.
Daddy Issues has a similar deep catchy baseline and there’s a funky edge with the sweeping keys and groovy bass. The harmonies are given an urban edge to fit with the fast-paced lyrics. DaVinChe lends his vocals to the track and the multiple layers of harmonies give the track an added spark. Speaking about Daddy Issues Nahli said “Daddy Issues is a really sore one for me. I’ve always had a bit of an odd relationship with my Dad which had a knock-on effect on my future relationships and I accepted way too much bullshit.” The track’s jazzy beat really pops against the electronic elements.
F.Y.M. has a stripped back opening of just a plucky guitar, allowing Nahli’s vocals to really shine. The track’s bare bones beat and guitar lend a jazzy vibe to the smooth vocals. Once again, Nahli displays raw honesty in the lyrics especially in lines such as “the eyes you’ve been looking through, how could I face you again?” and “Cos if I still have a piece of you, you got me too.”
Blake has a moody melody and lyrics that make the heart ache such as “I lose, I lose, cos there’s nothing I can do, if I lose you too.” Soaring strings are coupled with an urban beat and Nahli’s vocals flick between softly spoken and heady high notes on her confessional lyrics.
New single Mama’s Boy is heavy on the beats and synths and a return to the urban sound Nahli nails so well. The strings add a great contrast to the contemporary beats and seem to be Nahli’s signature way of making each track sound very much her own. The lyrics are deeply confessional again, especially when she sings “why did I believe that you’d fight and die for me? We almost had a baby.” The breakdown at the end of the track with the autotune and manipulated vocals makes for a really cool outro.
Overall, Therapy Side A is a highly personal dive into Nahli’s past relationships and the raw honesty of the lyrics allow the listener to relate deeply. Speaking of the EP Nahli said “Time heals all wounds. This EP healed mine.”
Therapy Side A follows Nahli’s 2018 debut single Say Nothin’. She has also featured on UK Garage tunes Please Don’t by Rude Kid and Only U by Conducta. She will feature on Sigma’s upcoming album and Professor Green’s new track.
Find out more about Nahli here and have a listen to Relapse below. Therapy Side A is out now.