There’s a surprising adeptness around dance-pop found on Olie Beckett’s new EP, THE ONE. At only 16 years old, he sculpts heavy beats that stick to the back of the brain. “GRAPHIC T-SHIRT” is particularly hypnotizing, as he slides across the disco ball-tinted dance floor. He pushes his way through the crowds, priming the listener for the rest of the project. “WIN YOU OVER” will assuredly win the listener over with its dark swirling synths and off-kilter charm. There’s something hidden between the layers of the track, and Beckett unleashes a silky vocal so incredibly entrancing.
Five songs just doesn’t feel long enough, but perhaps that’s for the best. THE ONE is tightly wound with decorative arrangements that feel cosmic, as you’ll hear on “GRAND PRIX.” It sparkles underneath the warm glow of his voice. It’s never overwrought or needlessly forced. Beckett is clearly in his element. He knows how to hold you in the palm of your hand and keep you hooked all the way up to the finale, the glitchy “HIGH ON LOVE.” Now, let’s get him in the room with some heavy weight songwriters like Bonnie McKee or Amanda Warner to see what he’s really made of.
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