It’s always a pleasant surprise when you hear thought-provoking material written by a local artist whom you have never heard of before. I was rolling the dice when I decided to take on this particular assignment because, until recently, the name Alexa Lima was one I had never run across.
Which is a shame because the Atlanta-based pianist and composer has been filling our ears with compelling film score ballads and left-field compositions for the past few years, both as a solo artist and as one third of electro-experimental jazz trio Waking Astronomer. Her self-titled EP is the latest set of fantastic pieces she’s released and her third collection of compositions overall. The record’s dynamic sequence of open, dissonant chord patterns give it a whimsical feel at some moments (see “Five”) and contemplative at others (see the appropriately titled “Last Breath”). Her melodies are sparse yet expressive and full of emotion, a trend the pianist has stayed faithful to since her early compositions.
Part of why this EP radiates so brilliantly is Lima’s consistency and dedication to a distinct, dramatic timbre. Some may complain that her compositions are a bit repetitive, but it’s hard to deny that she has a sound grip on her sound and genre. She attacks each chord and phrase with intensity and delivers her songs with the intent of sparking emotion — sadness, curiosity and wonder immediately come to mind — in the listener. The EP contains not only her most well-written material, but it’s also the most diversified out of her catalog. Fans of classical, jazz, and film score should have no issues tuning in and blasting off into the nebulous cosmos that Lima is so good at providing.
More Info
Web: alexalimamusic.com
Bandcamp: alexalima.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @alexalimamusic13
SoundCloud: @alexalima
Twitter: @a_muzika