Traumatic experiences can leave the soul ripped open and after rediscovering herself, alt-rock warrior Dela Kay is leaving it all on the waveform with her new EP, Falling Into Place.
Often characterized by her music’s authenticity and vulnerability, the wait for Falling Into Place has been a much-anticipated affair for Dela Kay’s growing fanbase, which I consider myself a part of after spending the weekend with this new release.
I hope this EP reaches those who need it the most. Every time I listen to it, I’m reminded of my own journey and how important it is to keep moving forward. This is just the beginning of my new sound, and I’m excited for my fans to hear what’s coming next.
Dela Kay – talking about the importance of Falling Into Place.
But, what kind of journey are listeners in for, while exploring the depths of Dela Kay’s experiences and how might someone apply them to themselves? Let’s find out.
I probably played “Let You Down” more than a handful of times during my first listen. There’s just something about the themes present throughout the almost 3-minute track that attracts my own anxiety when it comes to relationships.
A fast-paced anthem that delves deep into Dela Kay’s vulnerable past while leaving listeners on a hopeful whim that things do get better. There were so many moments while I focused on the track’s lyrical substance that I found myself applying the words to my own experiences and journey thus far. “Let You Down” is highly relatable and proves to be one of the EP’s best listens.
I know I found myself singing, “And it’s been difficult for me to trust/Don’t want to fuck it up,” more times than I could probably count. Even while just making my way down the hall. It’s an infectious time and I can’t get enough of it.
Singlehandedly, probably my favorite track on Falling Into Place, “IDWTAY” caught my attention the moment I hit play; the hard-hitting instrumentals could have some of the more modern pop-punk bands running for the hills, and with the one-two punch of a phenomenal vocal performance, there’s a reason why I’ll keep coming back to this one for a quick burst of FU energy.
There is nothing I dislike about “IDWTAY,” it checks every single one of my boxes. It’s filled with raw emotion, bursting with passion for her craft and just an overall realness that is lacking from a ton of today’s music. This is how you do it.
I can easily see this also continuing to become a fan favorite and I simply can’t wait for a chance to hear it performed live.
“I build you up/I break you down,” does it get any simpler than that? The toxicity flowing throughout “Waste My Time” is all too real, and should have listeners once more recounting their own experiences when it comes to the subject matter.
Continuing to impress with her realness around every corner, it’s the choice to open up more than ever before that has Dela Kay shining like a star in the scar-filled void of my memories, pulling out every single emotion I can spare as I leave it all on the table while I horribly sing along to the highly earworm-filled chorus.
The thing I love most about a song like “Waste My Time,” is that aside from being an incredibly catchy experience, it touches even more on the various triggers that one might experience with certain aspects that can affect one’s own mental health. The track is filled with a continued realness that many can pin on a corkboard. It’s these traits that have me becoming an even bigger fan with each listen.
Need a new song to smash through with your air guitar? Well, you just found it! “Saving Face” has to be second in command to “IDWTAY” as my favorite track on Dela Kay’s new EP. Right away I found myself doing little guitar sounds following along to the track’s blood-pumping power chords. It was a body-leaving experience.
Also, the playful intro to the track is perfection! The playful smugness of “Saving Face” makes it an absolute blast and I can’t help but think Dela had a ton of fun working on this one. This is the type of track I would most likely shovel around to my friends and family. It’s easy to love without leaving out the EPs overall tone and truth-telling.
“I heard that you like to talk shit,” it’s just too perfect! I honestly wouldn’t be too surprised if “Saving Face” became one of my favorite songs of the year and shot up the spaces on my end-of-year Unwrapped.
“Nasty” is a playful, tantalizing track that breaks the unison mold of each song up to this point, creating its own unique experience for listeners that continues to show the range of Dela Kay’s writing ability.
Though not in my top 5 when it comes to Falling Into Place, there is still room for “Nasty” to breathe fresh air within the overall themes of the EP, injecting a sense of personal growth in a non “safe” way that will have those without open minds grabbing for their pearls.
The track echos old rock songs from the mid-2000s perfectly, creating a blur of sound while being simple enough that listeners will have zero issues singing along, at times, like myself during random intervals while I’m out running errands. The “what the heck is that guy on” stares are totally worth it.
Bringing things back a bit to the overall tone of the EP, “Go Slow,” is yet another Dela Kay masterclass at expressing one’s feelings in a constructive and vulnerable way that makes it easy to relate and get lost in past memories.
Instrumentally, “Go Slow” is a slow burn, trading in the fast-paced blurs for a rather relaxing listening experience. I can appreciate all the bits and pieces that went into providing Dela Kay’s voice with a strong backbone.
I first listened to this track around midnight and it truly helped to set the scene in my imagination while the song took me on an eye-opening adventure while the lyrics, “You say I’m your favorite friend,” bounced around in my head until I fell asleep, only to awake with those lyrics still locked in.
Bookending with an amazing goodbye, “Falling Into Place” connects perfectly with “Let You Down” as the EP wraps up its story of pain and triumph of picking yourself back up from the endless veil of the void. I had this one on repeat for a good hour, simply feeling the emotions present and the stories being told hanging on each lyrical string.
“Falling Into Place” is simply put a beautiful song that almost had the waterworks working overtime. But, I instead opted for a one-person mosh session throughout my living room as if I were back to a simpler time. This one is special and I can already see it becoming a song that many return to constantly.
Ending things on a bit of a bittersweet cliffhanger, “Falling Into Place” has me wanting more and I’m already excited for whatever Dela Kay has planned for her independent future. There are no strings attached to this rising star.
Falling Into Place proves Dela Kay has the keys to the alt-rock world and with the phenomenal team of Stefano Pigliapoco and Nick Cozine at her disposal, there’s nothing she can’t achieve. This EP quickly became one of my favorite listens of the summer so far, and I can only see myself coming back to it constantly as the year zips by.
The raw nature of this release will have listeners clamoring for more as this talented artist hand-makes her own rugged spotlight, climbing higher and higher taking no BS from anyone. As I just mentioned, I can’t wait to see what’s coming next, and can’t wait to hear some of these songs in a live setting, because it can only be a kickass time.
Our TOP 3 Tracks: “IDWTAY,” “Saving Face,” “Waste My Time”
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