It is no secret that I love new music.

However, there is a finely printed addendum to my adoration of acclimation. Past the search that I recount at the beginning of each opinion piece and the imagery I weave with each word, finding new music is like adding unique brushstrokes to the canvas of my life. Sky blues and peachy oranges lay restlessly on top of vibrant colors such as cobalt and crimson. And despite all the clashing, it all clicks—it makes sense while making zero sense. 

New melodies can shift the way I see the world. They can pull me out from within the darkest caves into the sunshine and alter the way I view myself. They contain flavors and hues that I’ve never known before, and I welcome the newness.

And no single has rushed to the bounds of this bliss as much as Ashe’s debut album, Ashlyn. I have been following Ashe’s career since it abruptly took off in the early months of 2020, and each step of the journey has been laced with her exquisite vocals and experimental style.

Most of all, however, Ashe creates music that feels authentic and intimate, characteristics that Ashlyn certainly does not lack.

Starting with the single “Till Forever Falls Apart”—an earlier released collaboration with Ashe’s fellow musician and friend, FINNEAS—this album automatically blends the lines between different vibes. While the first track draws the scents of ocean waves and flower fields into my system, the second feels like the woodsy and antiquated view from inside a grandfather clock.

There are too many aesthetics and directions within this album to unpack wholly, but instead of conflicting, they seep together like tie-dye t-shirts. While certain tracks begin with the soft lighting of a candle wick, others enter with a symphonic bang. Nevertheless, the end of each song extends an olive branch to its neighbor, creating a complex sound fitted for any occasion.

Similar to the canvas that albums such as this paint, Ashlyn manages to coat the world in a variety of vibrancy. From realms of cosmic cerulean and mauve to a world of crisp white and pale pastels, each strum and song tells its own story. Throughout all of this, Ashe manages to hold onto the parts of herself that make her who she is. She pays homage to the earlier works of her career while spinning webs around them.

Through these intricate apparitions, I have found the sort of newness I search for within my music. There is no doubt that Ashlyn will become the soundtrack to my summer days and the friend with which I share my dwindling nights.