Songs for the Lonely Nights

Due to be released on the May 5, we here at SHOUT got a copy of the EP to see how it holds up. 

I remember the first time I saw Rakat Zami, whose solo project is Embers in Snow, perform back in 2012. It was Incursion Battle of the Bands 2012 and after what I heard there, it's safe to say that he improved immensely as a musician. In fact, he's completely changed from what I saw and heard, for the better. The EP quite nicely sums up his musical journey so far, and brings out its flaws as well as his uniqueness as a composer. 

The first track, "Locked Souls" makes a slow and steady start to the EP. As much as I would've loved "Bonfire" to be the first track, it's not. "Locked Souls" didn't sound too special to me. The strumming of ukulele and the arrangement give it a swaying feel which can go in with the melancholy of a lonely, depressing winter night. The lyrics are Rakat's only weakness, I would say; that area needs improvement. Once he has that bit under control, we will be looking at a very complete musician. I found the lyrics of "Locked Souls" quite forgettable, and using seas and oceans to measure distance has been done to death in literature and music. 

One of the best tracks in the EP, "Safira," hosts a properly used string section that enriches the atmospheric feel of the song. The lyrics of this one are much, much better as the first verse resonated. The keys on the latter half spoke of Rakat's maturity as a musician quite well – a trait our scene badly lacks. When listening to the EP, one should start with this or "Bonfire."

Written by Tilok Adnan, "The Gathering," speaks of old memories and holding on to them. It's an easy listen with an acoustic guitar picking in the background. Like the rest of the EP, it's winter music, especially when the choral vocals kick in at the end of the track.

"Fall" reminded me of Steven Wilson's work – his heavy influence on Rakat quite apparent in the track. I am not really a fan of Rakat's vocal work in the EP. In this one though, it's pretty good, as Tilok's vocals are less obtrusive and blends in with the rest of the song. His singing and writing really made the difference. The song keeps a consistent feel throughout; it's the sort of music I'd put on while reading. 

"Bonfire" is the ultimate winter track of the EP. It has a really good ambient thing going on with reverbs and delays on the guitar, a nice and simple solo at the end. I found the arrangement of the music to be really good because a lot of things were happening and they fell into place. A lot has to be said about the production as well, which is crisp throughout the EP. I reckon that Rakat managed to communicate with his listeners the best in this track.

The EP will be available from the May 5 on iTunes, Spotify and Google Play Music, released through Mushroom Entertainment Label and independently through Bandcamp for purchase and streaming. A pre-order for the digital copy can be made on iTunes and Bandcamp. A digital booklet containing artworks for individual tracks will be available for purchase from Bandcamp only. 

Twitter: @embersinsnow 
Facebook: fb.com/EmbersInSnow