DREI

Berlin-based producer Emika follows her 2015 solo piano album Klavírní (EMK 001 CD/LP) with DREI, an album that channels electroclash-era rapid-fire bass and syncopated beats amid soaring synths. It is the work of a songwriter who wears her heart on her sleeve, with deeply personal sentiments imbuing her brooding, expansive soundscapes throughout the album. The intricate, deft production flourishes that flow through the album and the breadth of moods attest to Emika’s status as a fully-fledged artist. On the vampish “Miracles,” she pitches her voice down to duet with herself in haunting fashion. “DREI is ultimately about freedom. Coping with freedom. Limitations vs Freedom. The shock of a miracle. The madness of being alone. Ambitions and insecurities. The perils of a limitless creative mind. And without a doubt, my desire to produce fat hard beats without needing anyone — complete with a fresh sound.”