There’s truly nothing better than music that’s actually of quality, and at the same time speaks about things that are naturally good for the soul. “Believe”, a word that’s inherently virtuous and positive on its own, consists of fourteen tracks that sound and feel like a pleasant day on a loop. It mainly involves the genre of indie pop, with all songs guaranteed to leave a lasting impression and a good time.
Ehson Hashemian, the singer-songwriter from South California, has curated and developed his sound almost to the point where someone would point at a song and recognize it as his. Resourceful and inventive, he could flip his main genre in more ways than one and still get a beat and tune different from the last one he made.
Jumping right into the album, “Feel” could easily be categorized as a hidden indie gem. The introduction immediately calls to mind bands like The Happy Fits and Young the Giant. It’s the type of song that would kickstart your day, and the type to still be able to define it when it ends. The repetitiveness of the progression is stimulating, and whenever the vocals are present, its highs and lows match the type of energy the instrumental emits.
To say that “Comes and Goes” is catchy would be an understatement – it could improve anyone’s mood in the first few seconds of it playing. If there are songs that have contrasting tunes and meanings, this song is located all the way up in optimistic town. The carefree nature is contagious; the line “that’s the way it comes and goes” isn’t ignorant per se, but it’s a perfect lyric to replicate the sentiment of how we shouldn’t waste our time on things beyond our control, because things are just the way it is, and we have to focus on the whole load of things within our area of control.
Speaking of which, there is a song titled “It Is What It Is” in this album, and needless to say, the vocals shine in this one. Despite the loop of high-strung, upbeat rhythm, the vocals offer whole tones, soaring and dipping in Hashemian’s own style. Additionally, it ties and meddles with everything together more than usual, as if it’s all one continuous string with how smooth the flow is. This track has a similar message as “Comes and Goes”, only emphasizing on the individual a bit more, and how the world isn’t revolving around any of us in particular, and we shouldn’t change our authentic selves.
One notable thing that’s observable in these songs is the catchy introductions and riffs that define what the song is going to be about, and at the same time, it has the capabilities of making your day with how vibrant they all sound.
The title track “Believe” has a tamer start, but its main riff offers more of a groovy, sophisticated vibe. The confidence shines through, in the context of believing and hoping for better days to come: “gotta believe in the morning light, I feel it”. It also creates this vivid picture of a bright sunny day paired with a prominent blue sky.
“Counting On You”, on the other hand, consists of a riff that has a high chance of getting stuck to your head. Seeing as a handful of these tracks look inward, this one is all about companionship, because there’s no other way to truly obtain a stable well-being without socializing, or as some like to put it, ‘finding your people’. This song is a perfect dedication to those individuals. The instrumentals go hand-in-hand with the timing of the vocals, and it really emphasizes on the importance of belonging and intimacy.
“Accept” sends off the album, holding a futuristic-esque style but still ensuring the style and structure sticks to Hashemian’s. Essentially, the topic of change, may it be through time, places, and people, are highlighted. This song emphasizes accepting them and moving forward.
All in all, “Believe” is a collection of songs that look and sound like they belong to each other, as if the listener’s experience wouldn’t be complete without listening to all fourteen. It’s clear that this impeccable artist has a great, in-depth knowledge on how to live life to the fullest, because “Believe” might just be an immersive musical experience and a self-help book all in one.
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About the Author
Kate Clarice Lee is a psychology major in Ateneo de Naga University with a knack for music and writing. She takes interest in playing guitar, poetry, creative writing, and lyrics that—subjectively—hit close to home. Kate mostly enjoys indie, alternative, pop & punk rock music.
