Album Review: Bel Begins Her Trilogy With “T1”
In the first of a trilogy of EPs, T1, BEL solidifies that she is not your Casper; while her powerful voice ghosts over rhythms, she is not trying to be friendly, especially to her ex. Instead, the EP plays like a Pop version of Inception. She is Leonardo Dicaprio, and she will enter her mind until she fully extracts the memories of all his negativity and her own.
Bel – Better Than Me (Official Video)
Out August 28, T1 is a four track taster of how badass BEL can get. At first listen, her Pop styling are evident, but there is an undercurrent of darkness playing beneath ever bright synth. There is an ominous feeling to “Spectre” and “Better Than Me,” especially because those tracks are about moving on. There comes a point in your relationship, with either someone or something, when you realize it is time to let it go. Whether your bond with such a person or thing was toxic or stagnant, is something time will tell you, but, at the moment, it is your heart giving the warning and her lyrics are like the tiny alarms that can sound off in your mind.
Bel – Spectre (Official Video)
Vocally, BEL has a powerful voice. While her tracks are catchy, if you listen more to her voice and verses, it salts and ashes with a sweet, seductive sadness. From “T1” to “Good News,” her sounds and stylings feel like Godzilla tearing down her Tokyo city, which is kind of what broken dreams and hearts can feel like. Suddenly, your minded city of neon lights, buzzing crowds, and constant action is burned down. Thus, her ability to blend Pop with notes of goth and nostalgia is super distinct to her. Not everyone can turn heartbreak and resilience into a danceable fantasy.
Perhaps the best way to describe this EP and her artistry is according to her:
“Bel is an artist born from a supernatural cataclysm; a mysterious young woman, she exists in a world of her own design, where the ugly and raw nature of the world is not looked at through rose coloured glasses. No veil to hide imperfections. Instead, she celebrates them, unashamed and unwilling to compromise in her approach. A fire burns deep within Bel and fuels her to march forward, refusing to back down when it comes to her dreams and desire
