Written By: Maria Arroyo
Philadelphia’s own Orion Sun releases her newest album, Hold Space For Me, out today! Though originally from New Jersey, the “city of brotherly love” is where she is rapidly catching people’s attention!
She has gotten her laid back folk and R&B vibe from influences like Nancy Wilson, Kirk Franklin, Hazel Scott, and many others, which is very apparent in her songs. She is described as a “23-year-old black woman dealing with and learning about life’s obstacles and celebrations, is understood best through her song lyrics.”
Her opening track, “Lightning,” did a great job of giving an overall look into the sound that would drive the rest of the album. Her vocals are smooth as can be and her harmonies are executed beautifully. Another massive bonus that is showcased throughout her songs is the attention to the dynamic contrast. That, paired with the complexity of her lyrics make for an unforgettable song. I personally resonated with her next song “Trying,” as there were many layers to a complete story that unraveled itself before me.
One of the most recent singles from the album, “Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don’t Leave Me)” has a very futuristic instrumental opening that really surprised me. This single is definitely a huge turning point for the album and shows another side to Orion Sun as an artist.
Another song that really stuck out to me is “Holy Water.” The song has both a strong song and melodic structure, which is also true in her other songs, but her impeccable storytelling abilities shine even brighter here. The same can also be said about “Grim Reaper” as it poses the biggest unanswered question we can ask ourselves. “Where does your soul go after the physical?” Regardless of what the answer may/may not be, to explore this idea is so far beyond us as individuals, that tackling this concept in a song deserves only praise and appreciation.
As her album goes on, she showcases even more of her talents as an artist. “El Camino” has a nice guitar intro, which leads me to think this will be closer to a ballad… and I could not be more wrong. The song suddenly shifts to this intense and introspective rap-like structure. It was completely out of the left-field but in the best way. No worries though because I did, in fact, get my softer song right after. Her song “Smooth” is just that: a nice laid-back song, which again showcased her diversity as a singer and artist.
“Sailing” is another song where there’s a deeper meaning buried underneath the surface of the song. She’s also able to set this up in her vocal performance and in the instrumentation of the song.
Closing out the album is the track “Birds Gave Up.” It is probably the most stripped-down and minimalistic song of Hold Space For Me. This song highlights her incredible talent as a singer, and is able to give me that same fulfillment of an amazingly executed song, even without all the bells and whistles.
Hold Space For Me is exceptionally executed and tells a very cohesive story from beginning to end. Her ability to mix all of her influences into one idea, along with the versatility in her voice makes it hard NOT to remember her. It is artists like Orion Sun that make me proud to support and promote music from all over Philadelphia!
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