Raveena’s ‘Moonstone’ EP Is a Bittersweet Ode to Love

Raveena’s “Moonstone” EP is a four-track wonder that feels like a warm hug to those of us who have stayed up late at night wondering if we’re good enough for someone else. She released “Moonstone” Feb. 7, a week after the self-directed music video for the song “Headaches,” which features Raveena and YouTuber Hitomi Mochizuki co-starring as lovers in a romantic technicolor daydream. The EP blends psychedelic indie pop with soul, resulting in a genre-defying set of tracks where Raveena explores past relationships and her own identity. In the midst of the pain of love and loss, she manages to make something beautiful — paying homage to the moments that shaped her, no matter how fleeting they may have been.

The EP is a collection of songs that Raveena and producer Everett Orr made during the same recording session as her debut album, “Lucid.” Although the two projects are similar in sound, the dreamy production and Raveena’s airy but controlled vocals allow the EP to resist sounding repetitive or overdone. In a tweet, she described “Moonstone” as a “bittersweet goodbye” to youth and first loves, and the ethereal harmonies and bright guitar melodies throughout the four tracks certainly evoke the nostalgia of growing up.

“Headaches” expresses the different emotions entangled in the bliss of new love — the saccharine sweetness that makes you want to trust the other person completely, even though you know the danger that comes with vulnerability. The shimmery, arpeggiated chords that open the song carry the listener to the chorus with heavenly backing vocals that support her as she croons “Don’t play with my heart / I’m tryna be smart.” Two and a half minutes in, the song switches gears — the drums come in stronger and the track speeds up as Raveena surrenders herself to love. Her voice is buttery as she repeats “There’s no sunset without you” at the song’s end. Raveena’s honeyed vocals and the sudden switch in tempo create a powerful combination that conveys the all-consuming nature of falling in love, effortlessly pulling the listener into her bliss.

In “Close 2 U,” we see the other side of the newfound love described in “Headaches.” As Raveena pleads “Don’t leave so soon / Too close to you,” her gentle but insistent tone conveys the desperation she feels as she seeks to hold on to a relationship that is fading.

On “Heartbeat,” soft instrumentals contrast with thumping bass reminiscent of a club beat as she sings about “dancing under blue lights so slow.” The moment she captures with this song is tinged by sadness as she admits that it’s doomed to end once the night is over, but she embraces the ephemerality and insists that her partner pull her closer, at least until it's time to let go. The song ends with a triumphant, cinematic synth line that gives this track a refreshingly cheery feel compared to the first two songs. Although the song might seem more shallow than other tracks on the EP, with “Heartbeat,” Raveena gives space for carefree pleasure. For queer women of color, whose stories are so often not told at all or are ones of tragedy. Creating this space is essential.

The final track, “Starflower,” is a tender lullaby that is beautiful in its simplicity. The same poignant chord progression plays throughout the song as Raveena sings “Starflower has the weight of the world / Starflower sings just like the bluest bird.” The song is an ode to those who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders and an appeal for them to seek comfort in the celestial.

Each song is heart-wrenchingly gorgeous in its intimate writing and soothing instrumentation, a testament to Raveena’s ability to transport the listener into an other-wordly soundscape that foregrounds brown, queer love.

—Staff Writer Ifeoluwani E. Omidiran can be reached at ifeoluwani.omidiran@thecrimson.com.