Erny Belle brings us yet another stunning piece of work in the form of Not Your Cupid, Belle’s sophomore album.
The album opens with Bowman, a mesmerising musical composition featuring the sitar. It serves as a beautiful introduction to the entire album, setting the tone for the journey ahead.
Unchained, the first single released from the album, is simple yet beautiful, encapsulating the essence of spring with dreamy vocals that draw you in. Taking a turn with Pitstop, offering a light and fun contrast to Belle’s earlier work. Crypto brings back more layers and interesting instrumentals, evoking a California dream-like atmosphere.
Midnight Madness, my personal favourite on the album, takes a darker turn with lower tones and hints of doo-wop-influenced vocals, adding depth to the album's sonic landscape.
Golden maintains the darker tones and theatrical influences, with bold instrumentals that add to the album's richness.
Inertia brings the album back to Belle's folky side, showcasing a softer and delicate musical arrangement. Harmonic violin and stunning piano complement each other beautifully, creating a truly enchanting piece.
C'est La Vie keeps things simple and beautiful with charming chord progressions.
The album's title track, Not Your Cupid, brings classic Erny Belle vocals to the forefront. This track serves as the heart of the album, encapsulating the artist's unique sound and style.
The album manages to transport you back to the 70s with its nostalgic undertones and phenomenal composition. The imaginative use of child-like backing vocals throughout the album ties it all together, creating a unique atmosphere.
Erny Belle's background and family steeped in the film world shine through in this album. Not Your Cupid is the perfect blend of folk, fun, light, and dark, making it a truly spellbinding musical journey.
In conclusion, Not Your Cupid is a delightful follow up from Erny Belle’s debut album Venus Is Home, taking listeners on a captivating and imaginative musical journey. With its diverse soundscapes and thoughtful compositions, this album is bound to leave a lasting impression and continue to establish Erny Belle as a talent to watch in the alt-folk and pop music scene.
The birth of Erny Belle began after the successful release of her debut single and video for Burning Heaven. The Ng?puhi singer-songwriter (Aimee Renata), seemingly appeared out of nowhere, onto our shores – Leather clad, red wine in hand – stoking the flames of New Zealand’s music scene.
“Burning Heaven is a conversation between myself and what I identify as the spirit of creation”, “An ode to one’s artistry and all that lives within it”.
Belle, moved from Auckland, to the rural township of Maungaturoto in the summer of 2019, to write and record what would become her debut album, Venus Is Home. The alt-folk/country and pop-tinged album was self-produced and independently released in February 2022, following her second single Hell Hole. Since the release of her debut, Belle has received rave reviews and glowing profiles – The album already being widely praised as one of Aotearoa’s standout releases of 2022.