ALBUM REVIEW : The Baby by Samia

The Baby album artwork.
[image from : source]

New York City singer-songwriter Samia contemplates young adulthood uncertainties on her debut album, The Baby.

On her debut album, Samia zeroes in on one of the most intricate stages of young adulthood: trying to figure out who you are in relation to the web of people you have known. The Baby (released 28 August 2020) takes the young songwriter on both an outer, physical journey of touring across the United States, while undergoing an inner, emotional journey of considering her relationships with friends and lovers of the past and present. Her poetic, conversational style of storytelling flows over a backdrop of country-tinged indie rock that ranges from warm and sunny to vulnerable and atmospheric, creating a space for Samia to ask the necessary questions in order to discover who she really is. 

Ambient album opener "Pool" dives right into some of Samia's biggest concerns about adulthood and its uncanny ability to push us forward, whether we are ready or not. In an almost childlike way, she wonders, "How long do you think we can sit here before we have to move?" Not wanting to get up and leave a period of her life behind while simultaneously anticipating a future where she's taller, Samia succinctly sums up the complications of this transition by begging the question, "Is it too much to ask?" Along the same vein is "Does Not Heal," where she reveals a desire to keep certain wounds, as if clinging to past memories with someone, in a way that she ultimately knows is not healthy.

The vivid details of Samia's relationships are revealed in songs like the balmy "Big Wheel," where her warbling falsetto lists a series of past friends and how they have fallen out of her life, emphasizing the difficulties of keeping friendships going when "she and I have got nothing in common anymore." Or in the lilting honesty of "Stellate," she describes the troubles and imbalances that can come from knowing someone too intimately. Samia's voice is potent as she yearns to create a separation between her and her partner, depicting how "through the vellum you'd / discern my face from yours."

Samia's melodic sensibility also shines on this new record, notably in songs like "Triptych," which grows from a tender hush into an expansive atmosphere of introspection, guided by her soaring vocals and blossoming synths. Meanwhile, tracks like "Waverly" showcase the more homely, conversational side of Samia's sound, as echoes of piano and familiar percussion welcome you into a vignette of a favourite restaurant and a first love. 

Working her way across these physical and emotional landscapes, Samia is able to take the leap into putting her fears out in the open, which is a liberating process in and of itself. Throughout the confessional catharsis of The Baby, Samia doesn't necessarily find all of the answers to her questions, but she does come to a realization: she can learn just as much from within herself as she can from the people around her. 

Listen to The Baby by Samia on Spotify and Apple Music.