8/10

On her eagerly-awaited debut EP 'BLOOM', LA-based singer, producer, and engineer SOZI opens the door to something tender, self-assured, and transformative. Built around themes of becoming, shedding, and stepping fully into your truth, BLOOM reads like a letter to the self at the start of a new chapter.

From the opening notes of 'Seconds', there’s a weightless urgency, a quiet tension between wanting to hold on and needing to let go. SOZI navigates the passage of time not with panic, but with careful observation. Her vocals hover delicately over the production, revealing a deep trust in the pause, in the in-between.

While 'Just For A Minute' shifts the pace without losing intimacy. The track sparkles with soft escapism, offering a dreamy reprieve from the overthinking spiral. It’s the kind of song that floats—effervescent but grounded, a brief detour into weightlessness before the EP’s final declaration as the final track 'Set Me Free' is the culmination of the journey. It’s clear, direct, and fearless as SOZI steps into her voice, not just as a songwriter, but as a producer crafting an emotional soundscape with clarity and precision.

What makes BLOOM so compelling is its cohesion, each song a stage of inner unfolding. You feel the soil, the roots, the cracking open, and finally, the sunlight. It’s lush but never overgrown, polished yet deeply personal. 'BLOOM' stands as a reminder that growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s soft. Sometimes it’s slow. But always, it’s powerful.