After releasing her incredible debut album Hold Space For Me, Orion Sun went back to crafting again and almost exactly two years later, dropped the Getaway EP. As a six-song collection released on March 11, 2022, it defines a moment in Sun’s life that is beautifully and artfully produced for the rest of the world to divulge in.
This Philadelphia-based singer, songwriter and producer is no stranger to creating dreamscapes by using music as a personal journal to help process and restore feelings of love, pain and everything in between. Sun, a master in poetry and R&B, understands painting stories through the use of vivid imagery in her lyrics and has the ability to capture a weightless feeling through multiple instrumentals.
Seemingly, her lyrics are subtle but it’s the simplicity that speaks for itself. Sun’s soothing vocals continue to add a layer of magic to send any listener on a spiritual journey. Without a doubt, this artist manages to capture the beauty in all things and turn it into a piece of art for us to enjoy. Getaway is a lovely, soul-healing addition to this year.
The start of this EP rightfully begins with “intro”. Immediately rhythmic as soon as you press play, this song is a strong introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the body. With lines like “Is it weak when I say that I need you? / Long drives under stars, ceiling see-through,” a story is put into context and reveals that the project revolves around a past love. Emotion seeps through the stack of vocals and violin chords to draw the magnificent starter to an end.
The tone then darkens with “pressure”, a song about how it feels to deal with the heaviness of daily life that we all experience and are still learning to navigate. The bass and lo-fi hip-hop sound create a head-bopping tune. However, as soon as the hi-hat drums and rhyming lyrics drop, Sun’s words show vulnerability about feeling life’s pressure and it makes her wish she was “six feet deep.” The sounds of the song and the lyrics tug back and forth between stress and relief, displaying how Sun manages to capture her feelings in song-form.
With the most streams of the EP, “concrete” is punchy as soon as it starts. The lyrics are bold, yet natural with lines like, “Sprouting from the underground through the concrete” and “Making honey drip down like a bumblebee.” This song is cheeky, but heartfelt and is complimented by groovy guitar chords. It leaves listeners feeling one with nature.
Alternatively, “dirty dancer” has the most poetic lyrics and the type of verses to get stuck in your head all day. This song is about not feeling good enough and wanting to be someone that would be chosen by the person that matters the most. In the background lies a guitar that brings flow and B-roll audio from what seems like a park to tie everything together.
Getaway comes to a close with “without you (interlude)” and “celebration”. The queen of interludes does it again with a small snippet that embraces the feeling of being unable to go on in life without that special someone. A soft acoustic guitar layered with somber words and audio of a friend creates a soft break before the grand ending.
“celebration” is the bittersweet commemoration of all the good and bad. There is an orchestra of instruments layered with her vocals that just come together so beautifully. It brings on the feeling of being weightless and heavy all at the same time. With lines like “I sent a note / From the opposite coast / But I love you the most” and “Our fate was written in stone / But we could change up the ending,” Sun’s vocals emit the feeling of a night drive through the city with all the windows down.
Although Getaway is just an EP, Sun continues to show advancement in her music-making skills through brilliant storytelling and self-expressive production. There’s a song in this album for everyone to relate to as a result of Sun’s transparency in her songwriting. When “concrete” was initially released, Sun said,
“I stand in my truth when I am one with nature so much so that I am able to stand in my truth outside of it as well. When I think of nature and the earth as a whole I think of my ancestors. My lineage is long, filled with strength and knowledge, overflowing with resilience and beauty.”
We hope she continues to create amazing bodies of work for us to graciously fall into.
Rating: 8.7/10
Listen to Getaway now.
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