Enthralling with a dreamy synth-pop charm, girl is the new EP from Cocoa Pastel, the solo project of Las Vegas-based composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Mo Milan. The release is one-half of a double-EP, releasing on May 13th — with girl representing the synth-pop half. The result is an enchanting, gorgeously melodic success.
A gorgeous, sweeping array of dreamy synths star within “A Little More,” opening the EP with a hazy atmospheric gauziness. A snappy electro-pop pulse arrives thereafter as the vocals admit “I don’t know what to say to you when you’re acting like this.” The lush vocal tone and nocturnal, stylish synths craft an aesthetic fondly reminiscent of Chromatics, while the funk-tinged hooky arrival thereafter shows shades of TOPS. The track is a magnetic success, showcasing Cocoa Pastel’s knack for inviting soundscapes and replay-inducing melodic drives.
The ensuing “Apartment” exudes a sense of nighttime reminiscing in its bouncy synth and bass pulses, set amidst harmonious vocal layers that send a ghostly chill through the track. “I don’t wanna hear it!” a captivating vocal sequence lets out, sharply complemented by expressive vocables. “Apartment” is a stunningly catchy dream-pop highlight — one of the catchiest tracks I’ve heard this year thus far. Quality songwriting continues on the subsequent tracks “Remind Me” and “unloved,” with the former impressing particularly in its ascent from “tear the city apart,” momentum into a disco-y shimmering. girl is a fantastic display in atmospheric, infectious pop allure from Cocoa Pastel.
Follow Cocoa Pastel on Spotify here, and be sure to check out the album upon its May 13th release.
