Jan Edwards is a singer-songwriter from Minneapolis currently based in Naples. Her music is genre blending and borrows from the likes of country, jazz, pop and folk to create her own unique sound. Winning the Country Songwriting competition in the US propelled her career as well as confidence forward and has helped her continue releasing her own music.
Her latest EP “Disco Queen” starts off with the track “Dance the pain away” where we are immediately introduced to the vocals of Jan Edwards. She has a strong, deep voice with which she is able to carry the weight of the song. It throws a party without going too hard on the bass or making the environment sound like EDM, which is reserved for later in the album. The upbeat track explores lyrical themes like heartbreak, regret, deceit, guilt and feeling of hurt, all of which require a darker mental space. But it is at once the process of shedding that skin, losing yourself only to find your self and as the title suggests “Dance the pain away”.
“Disco Queen” follows this with some of my favourite pieces of instrumentation on the EP. The track has groovy guitars and an addictive bassline that all make up the quintessential disco track. The staccato vocals by Jan Edwards plays with gaps and spaces while the grand synths decorate the time. The songwriting is much more affirmative on this track as is evident when one calls someone a queen. It encourages you to free yourself, shed your fears and follow your heart, which is the boost in self-confidence everyone needs!
This is followed by “Just Dance” which has much heavier beats that sound like House and exude the vibe of EDM music. It makes use of devices like repetition in phrases like “Just Dance” to add a hypnotic ambience. I really enjoyed the use of violins on the track; the combination of an instrument so grand and classical with modern music creates an interesting sound!
Given the context of the EP so far, “Slow Burn” is a welcome change of pace! Jan Edwards blesses us with sultry vocals and passionate songwriting about fire and desire. We get to hear the more magnanimous sides of her vocal range along with the very subtle yet efficient back-up vocals. The electric guitar solo is an unexpected but pleasant addition to the track!
“When We Dance” finishes the album out with 80s drum beats, climatic strings, disco music effects and all the sonic elements we could ask for from a disco track. The upbeat clappy percussion is very well produced. We hear other voices apart from Jan on this track and the motif of letting go and letting the music save you is carried through till the end. I enjoyed that the songwriting centres her and the way her body responds to dancing.
“Disco Queen” as a body of work sure gives us variety with every track having its distinct sound while sticking to the larger sonic themes on the album. Its release is timed perfectly given how EDM and disco seem to be taking their spot once again in mainstream pop. I’ve enjoyed witnessing Jan Edwards ride this wave! Make sure to check out the album here:
