Here at the Send Me Your Ears studio today, we’re listening to ESSIE’s latest single, Limitless, which was released on January 1, 2023.
ESSIE is UK-born and Australian-raised and now resides in the UK. Limitless is an exploration of identity. The lyrics revolve around the idea of the limitless potential in all of us, and that the key to unlocking that is love. We loved the line, “I’ve been a foreigner in my home town.”
With a quick bass slide into the song, the full band join quickly and at this point, the song lends itself to comparisons with Kings Of Leon. The “Oh” vocal sounds and guitar follow each other in a brief “instrumental” section before the first verse comes in.
The song drops back for the verses and gives ESSIE’s voice a chance to shine. ESSIE’s voice is loaded with twang and cuts through in the mix clearly. ESSIE’s voice reminded us in the verses of Sara John and Anastacia all rolled into one. There’s a touch of country and a touch of belt in the voice. It has an icy and biting timbre to it with a metallic intensity and a dramatic belt which demands your attention.
The choruses add in some layered harmonies and give the song a touch of Fleetwood Mac. We love the breakdown with a guitar solo that builds and builds and then drops back for a stripped-down chorus, before building back up again to the end. The dynamic soundscape of this track keeps the listener engaged throughout.
Ideas from our ears.
A boost centred around 50Hz would add some extra thump to the kick drum. There are some ‘honky’ tones coming from the guitar so a cut around 700Hz would help there too. A fairly large boost focussed at 5kHz would increase the presence in the vocal as well as adding some extra snap to the snare. The drum track could use a high shelf boost set around 7kHz for added sizzle and brightness.
Final Thoughts
For listeners seeking a powerhouse country/blues/rock vocalist who oozes confidence and attitude, look no further than ESSIE, with her latest single, Limitless.