Like a comet streaking across the night time sky,
Juliet Huns will light up everything around you listening to her debut EP
Behind the Scenes. However, unlike a comet, Huns’ first release has staying
power that allows listeners to revisit the EP’s three songs and get
long-lasting enjoyment from their creativity. This is totally a pop song
collection, but Huns stretches the limits of pop far beyond their usual
purview. Instead of relying on the same blueprint each time, Huns mixes a
variety of other minor influences in with her unerring pop instincts for some
truly remarkable moments. These songs seem to spin out of her effortlessly and,
undoubtedly, much of the reason for that can be laid at the feet of her
stylishness and bravery. Simply put, Huns is a singer willing to try anything
once because she knows her voice can carry anything. From the pure pop moments
to harder, edgier excursions, Huns sounds in control throughout.
Like any great musical release, Behind the Scenes
builds on itself. “Realized” is the first song and foundation of the EP’s
ambitions. It is musically dominated by a variety of keyboard and synthesizer
lines, including electronic drums and bass, but it never sounds cold or
unfeeling. There is a thick aura of warmth surrounding the production on Behind
the Scenes and this warmth conveys a real intimacy to the listener often
lacking in commercially minded pop music. There are small crescendos and breakdowns
throughout the song that bring an extra amount of pizzazz to an already
stirring opener. Huns’ phrasing makes the most of fine lyrics. There’s nothing
in the words to this song that will leave listeners scratching their heads, but
it goes far beyond the usual Top 40 fare in depicting her personal dialogue.
“Gone” breaks with the first track in its inclusion
of rockier sounds, like electronically treated guitar, and a muscular chorus
that relies a great deal on thrashing guitar lines to make its impact. Instead
of the breakdowns and micro-crescendos heard in the opener, Huns’ approach her
makes the most of dynamics – alternating raucous passages with much more
restrained moments. Her vocal, as before, takes full advantage of the
well-written lyrics and helps the song reach its fullest potential. Behind the
Scenes closes with “Red Line”, a song that attempts being everything to
everyone and succeeding. Dynamics, once again, are the order of the day and
this song does a better job than the first one at manipulating the arrangement
for maximum dramatic effect. The lyrical content here maintains the same high
standard as before, but Huns’ singing certainly does much to envelop the text
with even more power and passion than either of the first two songs.
Behind the Scenes sends this prodigious talent’s
career off into the stratosphere. Juliet Huns sounds absolutely inspired
throughout, as if she is fully aware that this is her big chance to reach the
widest of possible audiences, and she never disappoints. Three songs may not
seem like much, but she makes the most of them, and it is sure to leave her
audience quite satisfied.
9 out of 10 stars
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/juliet-huns
Scott Wigley
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