Juliet Simms is certainly no newbie in music. From her early days fronting emo band Automatic Loveletter, to coming in second on The Voice, and launching her solo career, she’s proven herself to be a hard-working survivor with no signs of slowing down her ascent with her latest EP Descent.
With this new EP, Simms is carving herself into the alt rock/pop niche that Halsey has proven can still be a force in the current music scene. Descent‘s opener “All American” is the EP’s big statement. As the heavy bass starts the song, one may think it’s going to be a straight-forward pop track, but as Simms’ vocals draw you in and the pre-chorus builds, the track breaks out into a huge alt. rock chorus. The modern production sensibilities, using synths and drum machines, make it an easier win for pop radio, but there’s no denying Simms hasn’t left her rock roots behind her.
The trend in pop towards darker melodies shows its influence on “You’re Gonna Lose The Best Thing in Your Life”, where Simms details a relationship collapsing. The drum machines set the downcast vibe and feelings of disconnection, with Simms vocals vacillating between a sing-songy brat pop style and a deeper, almost raspy rock bellowing.
“Real Bad Things” does adhere to more traditional modern pop sounds, with Simms bringing a sultry and anarchic spirit as she chants “I’m gonna burn it down” and confesses “you make me want to do real bad things”. One can easily see a song like this being used to soundtrack a slew of TikTok videos in the future.
Simms shows that she is a perfect fit for the modern, genre-less pop world that is currently reigning on radio. Melding pop, emo and rock elements into her sound, her new EP could very well push her forward into the next level of stardom.
Take a listen to Descent and hear for yourself!
The Indy Review 