Christian Leave - "Trilogy"
by Emily Brower
Christian Leave, the bedroom pop artist who initially got his start on the popular app, Vine, just released his latest EP, Trilogy. With a sound that combines the electric creativity of Porches and a vocal styling similar to that of Declan McKenna, Leave has incorporated his own interpretation of sounds and emotions into Trilogy, and has established his growth as an artist.
Starting off the EP with synthesized vocals and a calming drum beat, ‘You’ leaves you missing all of the people and places you have ever loved. The lyrics, “Don’t you see I’m right here / Don’t you see this my dear / I love you with my heart / So tear me apart,” encompass a sense of longing for someone you can’t help but care about.
As ‘You’ comes to an end, the beat abruptly cuts off and switches to the strums of an acoustic guitar as ‘Smaller’ begins. Leave combines lyrics about the false hope of love with electric riffs as he sings, “I misread it / It’s not true / Everything is false from my point of view / I am lost I don’t know where we’re at.” The hurt and confusion is evident in Leaves’ vocals and the feeling of not knowing where you stand with someone is all too relatable for so many.
The third track has a slower pace than the rest of the EP, but includes an outro equipped with a dramatic electric guitar riff and heavy drum beat. ‘Understand’ holds true to the same theme of love and questioning but incorporates a sense of acceptance for whatever the other party may feel.
Closing off Trilogy with ‘Never’, the opening notes have a similar vibe to Spector’s ‘Fine Not Fine’, and the lyrics, “Where did the time go / Why do I feel like I don’t know myself,” leave you questioning your own existence.
As a newer artist, Leave is quickly inserting himself into the music industry and Trilogy is a strong addition to his repertoire. The combination of electronic synthesizers and acoustic guitar strums makes for a diverse array of sounds and a promising continuation to his career. Trilogy can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming sites.