The debut EP from 26-year old Raffa Weyman, aka Ralph, is either ahead of its time, or 30 years behind. Ralph teases 80s-inspired synth soundscapes and dance beats to bring us a collection of pop songs that sound familiar and fresh at the same time. Ralph recently signed with 604 Records, the same label as Carley Rae Jepsen. She’s also been named on Spotify’s list of artists to watch this year.
Each song delves into a relationship with a special twist, as Ralph sings about the guy who left her “weak in the knees” as she compares the same text messages received from her friends, since, “you should know us girls we talk.” Or take the catchy opening track “Cold to the Touch” where Ralph is “just trying to be honest” and manages to pull off a message about a defeated relationship with catchy melodies, an infectious dance groove and the requisite pretty “ooh-ooh’s” in the chorus.
Ralph is an artist equally invested in catchy pop songwriting and a folk tradition of storytelling through song. Her verses build the character and story of each song before hitting us with shimmering, bright and memorable choruses. She avoids the typically vapid messaging of mainstream pop and instead imbues her songs with relatable, real-world emotions. But let’s not forget, you can still hit the dance floor with these tunes.
