MALIA - WHAT'S AFTER 'I LOVE YOU?'
Photo credit: Arias Limuel
There’s songs you don’t realise are heart wrenching until you listen to them closely. You get wrapped up in their voice, the harmonies, the beat and then one line gets to you. Listening to MALIA’s new EP What’s After ‘I Love You?’, you realise the “What’s after ‘I love you?’” is heartbreak, but of course, as sure as the sun rises, the long awaited healing.
This eight song EP travels through the life shattering stages after a heartbreak. The moments of looking back, thinking of the things you could have changed or done, the questioning of what you thought was true, and the slow mending.
There are three interludes in this EP, preparing you for a different chapter of the stages of heartbreak and healing.
After the first interlude, there’s ‘More Than Love’ and ‘Currency,’ where it’s questioning everything. While it’s neo-soul with beautiful brass instruments, the repetition of questions of “what are you saving that money for” and “what’s after i love you?” This section is slower than the other two sections, perfect for replaying in your bed at night when you’re just trying to figure everything out.
Second chapter is split between ‘Hung Up’ with upbeat synthesised beats and ‘Only One’ which is more similar to the first chapter with slower and velvety jazz. ‘Hung Up’ is MALIA telling her ex that they have no place in her life anymore, telling them to take back everything and leave, but of course missing them. It’s confusing, because she’s so hung up on them and the two songs cycle between saying goodbye and wishing the ex would say hello.
While ‘Only One,’ sounding like a smooth old love song (with the backup vocals of oohs and ahs) is about questioning if one can love too much, too hard, too fast and if MALIA was the only one in their past relationship but also if they’re the only one in this couple feeling the pain.
Last interlude ‘Everything and Nothing’ continues the slower neo-soul and brings in the finale, ‘Undone’. This song picks up a little bit, realising that everything shouldn’t be said to an ex- like not sending the breakup letter and just donating all their stuff to a thrift store. MALIA reflects on how broken, numb, but also renewed they feel. They’re undone, but they’re only going up in here, even if it’s not a straight way up with “build me up, build me up, break me down again…”
This whole EP is a beautiful reminder that pain and healing is not a linear journey, and has no set timeline. Heartbreak sucks, but at least you have good music like MALIA’s to help you get through it.
Alex Shukri
★★★★★