There’s something unavoidably enticing about the vocal ranges of certain songwriters whose soulful approaches in turn take on a jazzy, speakeasy texture. From the late Amy Winehouse, to the queen of modern British neo-soul, Mahalia, to Vancouver-born, Toronto-based soulstress, Claire Mortifee whose latest single, Sea the Signs has us in a state of subconscious meditation, the niche is one not to be taken lightly.

For Mortifee’s part, a relative newcomer by comparison, but every bit the emotio-soul promise of a Badu or an SZA, there are high hopes and Sea the Signs brings them all to light. A floaty, buttery beat provides just the foundation necessary for her powerful, uniquely-toned vocals to deliver particularly poetic lyricism. The result is an electro-soul-R&B ballad reminiscent of Alina Baraz and her famed collaborative work with Galimatias, and makes us excited for more to come in the near future with Sea the Signs coming as her first release of any kind since last year.

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