Empara Mi has long been a voice that defies convention, and her latest single, I Can’t, is no exception. As the first chapter of her forthcoming album, Monsters & Masochists, this heartbreak-laden anthem traces the contours of loss and lets them bleed into every note. With lyrics that seem to be torn from the pages of premonition, Empara Mi wrote I before experiencing the very devastation she feared, turning this track into a cruel case of life mirroring art.
Proving how frivolously the word ethereal is thrown around, Empara Mi’s vocal delivery is as otherworldly as it is gut-wrenching. The sombre introspection quivers through each aching vibrato harmony, carried by a sparse yet cinematic arrangement that makes every moment linger in the silence.
In parts, the instrumentation strips itself to the bare iridescent bones of reverb bleeding from a lone synth note, yet nothing is left hollow—this is a masterclass in knowing when to hold back and when to let the weight of emotion fracture through.
From one soul to another, I Can’t is a reflection of alienation, a meditation on grief that deepens in resonance with every discordant beat.
I Can’t is out now on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, setting the stage for what promises to be Empara Mi’s boldest and most vulnerable era yet.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
No Comments