Sparkle Glitch rewrites the genre rulebook with personal new EP, Battle Maiden.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Elizabeth Elder

Sparkle Glitch has been singing and writing songs since the age of five. With a classical choral background and a love of EDM, ambient, disco and dubstep, she creates a truly unique sound. She’s come to our attention for the first time through her new EP, Battle Maiden, which tackles her personal experience of loss and healing through themes of spirituality, grief, and fantasy.

Opening with its title track, we get an instant taste of the Sparkle Glitch experience through its combination of edgy electronic instrumental textures and soft, ethereal vocals. Ultimately, the EP is meant to be an empowering experience, and Battle Maiden is the perfect exemplar of this sentiment. It will rouse you.

Utopia gives us a lively and vibrant moment rich with tropical beats and uplifting lyrics. Bluebird, a tribute to Sparkle Glitch’s late mother, sits at the heart of the EP, giving us a delicate and dreamy meditation that’s awash with the spiritual. As the track progresses, it builds with stirring percussion and cinematic layers. It’s a highlight.

Boy I Never Knew brings with it a soulful sense of longing through its experimental composition while Immortal Dryad bristles with a sense of adventure. Elementals closes the EP in magical style with a brooding sense of mystery and some captivating storytelling.

I’ve never heard EDM and dubstep done quite like this before. There’s real heart to what Sparkle Glitch has done with her new EP, giving us authenticity and plenty of unexpected elements. It might just change minds about the genres. When done right, they are simply sublime, and Sparkle Glitch’s new record is a case in point.

Battle Maiden was recorded at Makro Music Studios in Los Angeles, USA. It’s out now and you can give it a listen below.