If you’re looking for a surprise from ABRA’s new EP, Princess, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you’re looking for another killer batch of pastel-hued Miami freestyle, get ready to turn it up. From the sunset glow of “Vegas” to the 808 blast of “Crybaby,” this is the Darkwave Duchess at her zoned in, tripped-out best.
ABRA cloistered herself in her bedroom closet to write most of Princess, a process partially due to her desire for complete creative control and partially a need for isolation after a whirlwind of touring. Not only did she write every word and produce every note, she also supervised and created the art and videos for the album. In one sense this is ABRA outgrowing the fold of Awful Records, even as she remains one of the collective’s most recognizable faces.
Still, for those who have been following the Atlanta songstress since her release of Rose last summer, all 6 of the tracks on the new EP will sound vaguely familiar. Part of that familiarity is based on ABRA’s release of “Crybaby” and “Come 4 Me” as singles, leaving only 4 tracks which roughly follow the blueprint of previous material. But even though ABRA isn’t taking her music in any particular new direction, her creativity is still apparent on a more intimate level, taking the form of new vocal stylings, denser production, and sharpened song structure.
ABRA’s missionary parents and London upbringing have always lent an interesting perspective to her writing, but part of her appeal as a cosmopolitan outlier seems tempered on the new EP. On “Pull Up” she sings, “[you] said I’m crazy, you ain’t seen shit yet.” Maybe it’s because in 2016 the bad bitch role seems overplayed, but for an artist whose persona has always been so delightfully detached, this character seems especially ill-fitting.
Elsewhere on the album, however, ABRA appears more comfortable, playing her part as the soulless soul artist, pulling the listener into the void and leaving them there without a second thought. Such is the case on “Big Boi,” a pelagic track imbued with a crushing darkness which hits twice as hard on an EP filled with lush textures and relatively up-tempo jams.
Overall, there’s less of the narcotic drip which tempered her previous material. But even with the exploration of more tropical textures, Princess proves that ABRA still rules the darkest realms of R&B, and can hold her own as an artist in the face of ever-growing buzz and skyrocketing popularity.
ABRA will perform on Thu., Jul. 28 at the Masquerade. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $12.
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