7/10

When she released her breakthrough debut album 'The Sargasso Season' in 2022, Yukon-based orchestral folk artist Erica Dee Mah quickly established herself as one of the more emotive names arriving on the scene that year. With a beautifully refined approach to both her songwriting and instrumentation, the release allowed her to cement her talents for broad and riveting production as she returned earlier this year with her stunning comeback single 'The Garden'. Now looking to build on that positive momentum, she is back with her dazzling new EP 'Paper Wealth', a release that brims with powerful textures throughout.

Much like what her initial LP highlighted, 'Paper Wealth' sees her dive deeper into her progressive and atmospheric guise once again. Creating these five rich and explorative offerings here, her newest collection sees her build upon those illustrious foundations and deliver something far more adventurous this time around. Tracks like 'Morning Chorus' and 'Paper Sons' perfectly illustrate this warming nature she has found herself in as she adopts a stripped-back aesthetic that still manages to swell with its emotional qualities at every turn.

Inspired largely by her Chinese heritage, 'Paper Wealth' is this wonderfully rich and absorbing listen that perfectly bridges the gap between her older material and what she is setting out to explore next. Moving with this subtle elegance from start to finish, Erica Dee Mah is once again standing as a true innovator on the rise right now.