Kat King - "Say What You Mean" EP Review

KAT KING - “SAY WHAT YOU MEAN” EP

Highly regarded for her ability to hustle in the music scene, Kat King’s newest project re-institutes the amount of talent she brings to the table. As some of my favorite EP’s and albums do, Kat’s EP, when listened to in chronological order, tells the listener a story about love, loss, and acceptance that has been the somewhat universal theme of the past year. Kat’s sonic growth from a young girl singing and playing piano for her loved ones, to her first single in 2017, “Falling Up”, already shows off her immense passion for music and artistry. Now, with the release of this EP, her piano-based singer-songwriter talents have graduated into an impressively recorded and produced pop artist.

Kat’s EP carries you through feelings of self-discovery on the track, “Don’t Wanna Lose”, which flows into an 80’s inspired sultry beat in the song, “Say What You Mean”. Kat states, “Want to be fearless, say what I mean. Wanna feel nothing and everything.”, during her upbeat and catchy chorus. And just as relatable as it happens in real life, “Lonely”, builds upon the loneliness that comes after a self-discovery period where you may still miss who or what you had to leave behind. The EP quickly brightens up again with, “Korean Karaoke", bringing us back to our teen pop phase with mentions of Panic at the Disco and loving someone like hell. It starts off sounding as homey and familiar as your favorite pop song, and easily has the ability to turn into the anthem of love struck folks on the dance floor everywhere. The EP ends with, “Made It Back to You”, a song that perfectly combines Kat’s past knack for singer-songwriter-esque vocals and swelling instrumentals, alongside a faster-paced beat to carry you through.

Listening to this EP feels like you have heard one of the most entertaining and cleverly written stories about a period of Kat's life. “Say What You Mean”, is absolutely worth a listen if you are looking for your next summer bops (I highly recommend, the single with the same name as the EP, “Say What You Mean”, for this), or if you are hoping to bask in the talents and sonic growth of Kat King. To me, this EP marks the beginning of a summer ready to reopen post-pandemic and is one that I cannot wait to hear live.

LISTEN NOW

Review by ::

Sophie Johnson

Manor Intern & Blog Contributor

Manor Records gives 100% of the article author rights to Sophie Johnson.