Maggie Rogers launches five track debut EP
2016 was a very special year for Maggie Rogers. After a video of Pharrell Williams praising her style on her track ‘Alaska’ went viral, she all of a sudden became on the watch in the world of popular music. 2017 is set to be an even bigger year as she is supposed to tour the world, both with club gigs and festival appearances. Rogers just launched a five track EP under the title Now That The Light Is Fading and listening to this bold collection of songs, it is easy to understand what all the fuss is about! Read A Bit of Pop Music’s track by track review below!

01. Color Song
The EP starts off with the a cappella track ‘Color Song’, which opens with the words ‘now that the light is fading’. Not completely surprising, the folk and pop singer starts to name drop a few colors to a backdrop of chirping crickets, as if we are in a forest at night. The track is all about Maggie’s vocals, which are layered as if she is harmonizing with herself. Imagine a world with more than one Maggie Rogers!

02. Alaska
‘Alaska’ was the song that kick started Rogers’ career with a viral video of Pharrell Williams being completely in awe of her unique sound. Rightfully so may I add, as Rogers does something truly special on this track. Her folky past and influences from dance music come together in a perfectly flowing production with honest lyrics about moving on from heartbreak. All upcoming artists should take notes as it is quite astounding how Maggie crafted such a enchanting and unique debut.

03. On + Off
Out of the five tracks on the EP, third single ‘On + Off’ is the one that dives the deepest into the world of beats and electronica. The production in the chorus hits hard and builds up to a climax towards the end of the track. Her vocals are once again beautifully layered, this time creating the effect of a full choir. It might not be as instant as ‘Alaska’ and ‘Dog Years’ but with every listen it unfolds itself more as a beautiful folk and electro cross over.

04. Dog Years
‘Dog Years’ was released at the end of 2016 as the second single taken from this EP. If anything, the track showed off Maggie’s incredible ear for catchy hooks. This track has without a doubt the biggest chorus on the record, while making sure not too stray to far into bombastic territory. The song invites to sing along on top of your lungs, but it never feels forced. The message is heartfelt and the quirky video fits her sound perfectly.

05. Better
‘Better’ is built around a hypnotizing repetition of the title in the chorus. The production once again treats us to a seamless mix of folk and dance, of acoustic and electronic elements. The synths climax towards the end while never taking too much attention away from Rogers’ soothing vocals.

It is safe to say that Now That The Light Is Fading is stunning from start to finish. Maggie Rogers is an artist with a very clear vision of her own sound and imagery with a great ear for captivating melodies while also being able to tell her stories through honest and straightforward wordings. It will be very, very exciting to see how she will evolve over the coming years!