Imelda Gabs is a Lausanne, Switzerland-based electronic pop artist who first hit my radar at the end of last year through her track and video Reckless. We checked back in with her at the start of April with another video, this time called Thieves. Both tracks feature on her debut album Synopsis, which I just had to give a listen.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by 19TONES (Earnest Em)
Imelda is a person who seemed to know herself at a young age. A fascination for stories and a talent for music led her into this world in which she clearly feels a home. Her live debut was at the age of fourteen at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Belgium and from there she’s not looked back, with an education from the Montreaux Jazz Academy and a love for all things R&B, dark pop and hip hop.
Synopsis is a very personal album for Imelda. She produced it herself at her home studio (with some vocal sessions at HanaRoad studios in Montreaux and some additional acoustic band sessions) and it delves deep into her journey and self-reflections. The album opens with Am I which instantly cements this theme with some wonderful intimacy and Imelda’s distinctive vocals.
The aforementioned Thieves comes next bringing with it heart-breaking lyrics and a moody dance pop arrangement. Confession slows things down with a wonderfully timeless soul pop feel before Secrets completes the album’s first half. Immersive and dramatic, it’s a mid-album highlight.
Wanna Be with You brings back the dance with its bouncing beat and earworm melody. Free Spirit is a dark and percussive moment before Reckless provides the album’s emotional climax. New Beginning ends things hopefully with some virtuoso piano mixed with modern hip-hop elements.
Imelda Gabs has everything she needs to achieve great success. Synopsis is a highly accomplished album with enough pop sensibilities to please a wide audience while also being daringly distinctive. I feel like it’s only the start of Imelda’s journey. I can’t wait to see where she takes it.
Synopsis was mixed at London’s Metropolis Studios by Grammy winner Paul Norris, and mastered by John Davis. You can listen to the whole album below.
