A Review of GRACE.’s Debut Album, ‘Hourglass Plea’ - a contemplative journey through loss, love, and the fleeting nature of time.

Written during one of the most challenging periods of her life, the record functions as both diary and refuge, inviting listeners to reflect on impermanence with delicate reflection. From the opening track, Brittle Emotions, GRACE.’s voice carries a subtle ache — intimate, fragile, yet profoundly human — over sparse, cinematic instrumentation that highlights her lyrical honesty.

Throughout the album, ethereal synth textures and restrained percussion give each song a dreamlike quality. Tracks like Time Flies and Fraction of You blend melancholic piano motifs with airy vocal layering, evoking a sense of nostalgia that lingers beyond the music itself. GRACE.’s songwriting draws inspiration from artists like Clairo and Cleo Sol, merging contemporary indie-pop sensibilities with soulful storytelling. The interlude brittle emotions (interlude) demonstrates her command of dynamics, offering a quiet pause that underscores the album’s thematic focus on reflection and impermanence.

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The closing tracks, including something ended before it (even) started and not today, but maybe someday, bring the listener full circle, balancing resignation with fragile hope. The record’s strength lies in its intimacy: every chord, every breath of vocal phrasing feels deliberate, an invitation to witness vulnerability without intrusion. Cinematic yet understated, Hourglass Plea is a work that rewards patient listening, blending ethereal production with emotionally honest storytelling. For a debut, it’s a compelling statement — one that situates GRACE. as a distinctive voice in contemporary indie-pop, capable of translating life’s ephemeral moments into enduring musical expressions.