EP Review/ Disco : Mishell Ivon & Vincent Kwok’s ‘Escape’

If you like edges and angles, dimensions and spatial texture, then Mishell Ivon’s latest release is for you. ‘Escape’ is a concept EP that explores the escape impulse with moments of funk, synth pop, and electronic music. Each track is prefaced and oriented with such vivid and visual frames. Feels like you’re in a colorful room of abstract shapes. It's fun, unique, and makes for a memorable listening experience. Featuring Vincent Kwok, the two of them keep it dynamic and full of twists and turns. The collection is built on changing tides and energy. So you’ll feel as if you’re part of a wave just flowing with the many currents and realities that the artists create for us. 

‘Good Love’ opens the EP. It is instantly full of grooved, defined beats and angles that become complex motifs progressively. Mishell’s vocals are performative, sensual and romantic, a perfect companion for the skipping beats and skating melodies. ‘Mixtapes & Broken Hearts’  continues the joy ride. It has a youthful lushness, so fresh and full of possibility. The beats are full of dance and the melodies are full of play and retro goodness. Tracks like ‘Escape’ and ‘Midnight Echo’ have similar energy quotients. The beats in the title track are especially remarkable. 

‘Holographic Love’ perfectly captures the retro futurism dimension of the artists’ songwriting. It’s full of electric splashes and the laser synths roll into delicious grooves. ‘Multi-Colored Dreams’ keep this going. The classic rock, blues, funk rock and electro pop make an iridescent puddle of music that bounces and moves. The bass is a dry groove scramble. Like a doodle it comes off the song and transfers to the mind. So many details and layers to the track. Each time you listen, you find something else to fixate on and a new way to perceive the song. 

‘WERQ’ is hardcore. Starts with a dance beat. A tight bass line runs miles in the backdrop. It doesn’t let up. Passes through all the layers, under all layers. The R&B/ soul in the vocals are matched with jazz frames. Funky saxophone flows open new rooms of feeling. ‘It’s You’ is a slower track. It’s mellow and full of hope like the beginning of the day. A great way to start anything. It’s such an open song and has a way of gently peeling the listener back and making it count. It’s so fresh and full of romantic narratives. A perfect track to fall in love to. The day. Your lover. Even yourself. Listen Now! 

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The EP is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music! 

You can listen to ‘Escape’ by Mishell Ivon here -