By Sean Huncherick

In the world of Bandcamp and social media, a singer-songwriter needs to be a bit different to be noticed and memorable. Sure, there are some incredibly talented solo artists that have made it big with just a guitar or piano, but it’s harder now when you’re competing with thousands of others songwriters for attention (which is especially challenging in a big city). And then there’s Madeline Mondrala. 

Although she has been writing music all of her life, Mondrala recently put out her debut EP which is available for free on Bandcamp. Get it. Now. You can listen to it while you read.

[bandcamp album=45060166 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=0687f5 size=venti]

Cloud took me by surprise. When I heard the piano intro on the first track (“Blood Brothers”), I assumed I was in for another talented but undistinguishable solo artist. Then she started singing. The track has a nice mix of modern indie and hip-hop. It certainly isn’t my favorite song on the EP, but it catches your attention right away.

The hip-hop vibe is much less noticeable on the rest of the EP. “Maybe” and “Busy” are both a dreamy pop song with nice strings that bring to mind Florance + the Machine. But the EP really shines in the middle. Both “Bad Kid” and “Wolves” sound like radio singles if stations would notice them. If anything, the EP is worth your time for these two tracks alone. “Wolves” is about what sounds like an even more complicated relationship than usual. Beyond the piano, the track also features drums, several layers of strings, flutes, and brass. The orchestration is very well done. Instrumentally, it reminds me of Sufjan Stevens’ Come on Feel the Illinoise album, but vocally it mixes back in a bit of the speed and emotion of “Blood Brothers.” Maybe it’s because I’ve listened to it at least five times for this review, but I’ll certainly remember her name because of this song. I’ll even forgive the fact that she uses the word “fixer-upper.”

Hopefully Mondrala will continue making more music in the future. Until then, I’ll be listening to Cloud.

Score: 4/5

Madeline Mondrala: Facebook | bandcamp