Singer/Songwriter Anjali Ray Releases New EP

I’m pleased to encounter such an all-around talent the caliber of Anjali Ray. Her latest EP Dark Side illustrates her long artistic reach incorporating diverse influences such as jazz, Indian music, and, of course, underrated pop sensibilities that dovetail into the earlier strands with perhaps surprising ease. Her unique confluence of sounds and the resulting synthesis separates her from the pack, but her core skills do as well.

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She manifests an outstanding fluency that transcends labels. Each of the EP’s six tracks seamlessly transitions from one mode to another while retaining an overall identifiable scheme. Ray sounds convincing in every role she adopts. “Leave Everyone Behind” casts her in the role of poetic folk singer/songwriter and she excels. The language powering this specific cut is perhaps more flowery than later tracks, but even the most critical listener will concede she never allows things to reach overwrought levels. She adorns the folk song texture with judicious fills from electric instruments such as guitar and keyboards though it still retains the aforementioned foundational character.

“California” steers Ray in a much different direction – or so it seems. Peel back the colorful dynamics of this song, however, and strip it down to its essentials, and you’ll hear a song that embraces the same aesthetic as the opener.

Ray applies a new coat of paint to this song’s design and the mock orchestration imbues the performance with classical music gravitas without ever losing sight of her pop music ambitions. “Apple of My Eye” ramps up the pace considerably and I love the shifting of gears. The drum sound she gets for this number is quite important as it sets an undeniable pulse that she rides with audibly inspired flair.

“Change”, however, finds Ray turning her songwriting towards much more grounded aims. She tackles this particular song with an emphasis on everyday language that we hear less of during the first two tracks. I’m especially taken by the sensitive vocals she provides for this performance. The finale “Middle of the Night” is easily one of my favorites from Dark Side. It amasses enormous power through a process of accumulation and I’m happy to report that Ray remains as convincing as ever in a quasi-rock arrangement. It has the feel of a real curtain closer rather than being arbitrarily slated in this slot. Ray’s work is made from the stuff lasting accomplishments possess.

Each of the six cuts included on this EP speaks to that high-flown sense of the possible. She sings and writes from the heart in an era when that quality is at more of a premium than ever before. It’s a stellar addition to a growing body of work that expands its reach with each new outing. Anjali Ray’s Dark Side deals with heavy, even thorny, topics, there’s no doubt, but it’s full of life’s spark rather than wallowing in abject despair. You’ll come away from these songs like I did – exhilarated and grateful for the experience. And you will keep coming back for more. 

Mindy McCall