Empress Of

Me

What makes the first proper album from Empress Of so impressive is that it's not just Rodriguez's most outwardly pop-focused work to date, but also her most restlessly experimental and ... lyrically raw.   

There's an immediacy and energy to the album's pop stylings that eluded much of her previous work; it's gregarious and loud, adorned with sonically adventurous flourishes but not at all bothered with dream-pop's obfuscatory soundscapes.

Me is Rodriguez' most fully-formed artistic statement yet, an intensely personal, self-assured outing that cements her as a powerhouse producer.

It would be easy to dismiss Empress Of as hipster detritus, hot on the heels of XL labelmate FKA twigs. But Lorely Rodriguez is making coolly affecting experimental pop that’s all her own.

Empress Of tackles heartbreak and passion through a refreshingly feminist lens. Girl power never sounded so good.

Me is a brilliantly confident album that fulfils – and builds upon – Rodriguez’s early promise.

Me is an album of crushingly introspective songwriting set to certifiably exciting dance music.

The songs on Me are hookier and contain brighter synth textures and more intricate production, and Rodriguez's voice simply sounds far more original than before, without sacrificing her impressive range and vocal acrobatics.