It has already been quite a while when the world had known about one promising talent that is Mikky Ekko. After he became a household name through his collaboration with Rihanna in “Stay,” Mikky promised he would release an album. A year ago, he fulfilled his declaration by releasing his 12-track album called Time. It was filled with some strong potential hits, bursting with passion, desire, affection, and, of course, beautiful vocal execution. If the lead single, “Smile,” made you appreciate the potential Mikky Ekko has, the rest of the album will prove that Mikky Ekko is definitely here to stay.
The album opens with the passionately strong “Watch Me Rise.” It’s clever to put it at the beginning of the album, because of its ability to keep the listeners glued. In this song, Mikky displays his undeniable vocal prowess. It’s also wise to put one of the best tracks of the album as the first song the listener will hear upon playing it. It is followed by “Smile,” which as we already know by now, highlights the ability of Mikky to convey a message with enough amount of positivity. That’s what the song is really about. It could make you smile after hearing it, even on repeat.
“Love You Crazy,” meanwhile, shows a playful side of Mikky. It serves as the calm breeze amidst all the strong gusts around the album. Afterward, Mikky goes back to his gloomy yet ardent approach to love with “U” and “Time.” Both songs display a more relaxed vocal refinement of Mikky. It is interesting to note that the first half of the album has different styles. It’s not tiring to listen to the album, as it feels like listening to different versions of the singer. Time accurately is not repetitive, a quality that usually diminishes the quality of other potentially good albums.
Moving on, “Riot” is such an aggressive song. It’s a rock-infused track, which is heavily dominated by angry drumbeats. If that is not your thing, Mikky quickly returns to what he is best at. Through “Mourning Doves,” Mikky sings as if he has all the passion in the world. It, together with “Burning Doves,” is a guarantee of long-term last song syndrome.
In addition, if you are looking for the emotional maturity he displayed in “Stay,” the song “Comatose” is the one you should hear. It’s a poignant ballad about “all temptations we created.” On another note, “Pull Me Down” and “Made of Light” are juxtaposed with each other to show more layers to Mikky Ekko’s music. The former is deliciously dark without losing intensity (especially with Mikky’s falsettos) while the latter is buoyant and enlivening. “Loner,” the last track from the album, is interestingly courageous with Mikky singing to the lines, “Come on, come on, come over / Back to back, face to face / Cut me deep, cut me loose.” In this song, Mikky sounds as if U2’s Bono came over and lent his voice to him.
After listening to the whole album, there is a strong surge of renewed bravery that filled the senses. Probably, it is because of the dark and passionate beginning of the album that concluded with a sense of companionship brought about by the proclamation that you are not a loner. More so, if you are looking for excellent lyrical content, then rush now and buy Mikky Ekko’s latest artistic innovation.
It is very awe-inspiring to hear such a solid album, especially with Mikky Ekko who does not sound like a marketing machine. Time is an album about finding everything your heart desires. Hence, it successfully triumphs in addressing the issue of loneliness and the many sides of love.