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Live Review: Esmé's 'I Wonder' is a delicate and existential moment

5 April 2018 | 9:57 am | Jackson Langford

Esmé's 'I Wonder' is one of those rare musical moments that doesn't need a lot to make you want to listen, but you'll be glad you did.

There's something so delicate about ESMÉ and her new track 'I Wonder' that it almost forces you to sit completely still and take it all in, otherwise you might miss an important moment. Rightly so, because the three-and-a-half minute track is jam packed full of intimacy, vulnerability and a child-like sense of curiosity that is contrasted with an entrancing, jazz-ridden melody.

Those opening guitar strums layered with Esmé's breathy vocals - reminiscent of Lisa Mitchell or Tash Sultana - are like a long, silent embrace. There's a fragility that flows through every word she utters, as the percussion slowly creeps in, and it feels like the slightest breeze could blow this all away. But that ties in beautifully with the song's existential concept - why are the most innate parts of human experience ones we cannot see?

Of the song, Esmé says that it came from dealing with a tragedy that, again, is part of the human experience - loss. "My sister Olivia and I have always been extremely close. In 2014, our father passed away in our arms after a very long struggle post-car accident. It was just the two of us with him at the time. I feel like this experience especially has always lead us to explore ontological ideas."

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Esmé's 'I Wonder' is one of those rare musical moments that doesn't need a lot to make you want to listen, but you'll be glad you did. Between off-kilter percussion, eerie electric guitar strums and Esmé's gorgeous, alien-esque vocals, 'I Wonder' is a listening experience that you won't forget, and one that you will still be thinking about long after the song comes to a close.

Image: Supplied

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