Review Summary: "Why don't we make up our own rules and break them when we like?"
Lorely Rodriguez sings this to a lover on “Make Up”, her voice rich yet slightly hesitant, as if having such a carefree attitude to sex is something new to her. That lyric also describes her musical approach to
Me – Empress Of is a rule-breaker and a trailblazer. On her debut full-length, she brings together elements of synthpop, dream-pop and even EDM, carving out a niche for herself in an environment where its increasingly hard to sound original. Every instrument, vocal and lyric is Lorely’s own creation, and has a level of professionalism and polish to it that many seasoned artists would strive for.
Each track has a moment that brings you back to it for repeated listens. The way the synth-pulses at the start of “To Get By” transition into the song’s driving bassline, the slick arpeggios that accentuate the chorus of “How Do You Do It”, and the psychedelic, club-ready breakdown of “Water Water” are all examples of Rodriguez’s skills as an electronic composer. The latter moment is
Me at its dreamiest, and for such an upbeat song this seems contradictory, but its chorus can only be compared to being submerged in a dark body of water, sinking away from reality. For a song about a losing a partner to a drug addiction it’s perfectly apt – as Rodriguez desperately repeats “I’m feeling less and less” in the outro, the music also loses its composure, descending into a tripped-out chaos.
There’s something inherently powerful about a young, female singer creating an entirely self-produced album and
Me’s lyrical themes often underline this. On “Need Myself” Lorely casts off her dependence on a man, asking, “Can we stop watching the TV, can I get up off of my knees”, and proudly sings of her transition towards autonomy and self-love. It’s a wonderful middle-finger-to-the-patriarchy moment, as is “Kitty Kat”, her personal *** you to a catcaller. Once again, the music subtly matches her emotions, with the verses’ aggressive synths landing like punches to the gut, and the chorus sounding appropriately triumphant as Lorely casts off her vulnerabilities, cathartically exclaiming, “Let me walk away”.
On that number, she sings, “Don’t kitty kitty cat me like I’m just your pussy”, the kind of hard-hitting but clever lyrical moment that
Me is full of. Two tracks later, she opens “Make Up” with “Nothing comes between us but a piece of latex, when you tear my clothes off like I was a pay check.” It’s a personal, memorable line, and exemplifies Lorely’s personality. She’s not afraid to critique herself, she sings of men being her everything and men being less than nothing to her, and, most importantly, she frequently lets the listener into her world. She has all the characteristics of a great songwriter, and the fact that the 10 fantastic songs on
Me are backed up by unique, forward-thinking instrumentals makes the album a truly fantastic debut. Having said that, one gets the sense that Empress Of could go even bigger – she has the potential to make an even grander statement on her second album, and truly become an icon.
