Alchemy: Eureka!

One listen through "Alchemy" and you're left wanting more … it's a shame an EP like this is such a rare commodity.

If alchemy is a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance concerning principally the discovery of methods for transmuting baser metals into gold, then New Zealand artist Coco Charles' (Chloe Williams) debut 5 song EP effort "Alchemy" lives up to its name.

Let me explain.

"Alchemy" presents a polished quality of music that is smooth, malleable and soft. "Goldrush" best embodies this, a veritable ingot reflecting Destiny's Child and the better parts of late 90s/early 00s R'n'B (cue the sound of chimes) that have become all but lost in the 21st century pyrite of Niki Minaj et al. This is lounge music that commands your attention, and like any piece of fine jewellery, it succeeds at being simultaneously subtle and bold.

A plethora of catchy hooks and heady drum and bass keep your attention, and it's the colour and hue of each of the songs on the EP that justifies the inherent value of these 24 carat beats. There's an alluring ambience on "Alchemy", drawn largely from the simplicity of the music and the excellent vocal delivery by Charles. I found myself instantly singing along to "I don't want to push the pedal" against the stripped back, percussion-driven opener "Cruise Control", and bopping my head to the click of fingers in the jazzy "Round".

A particularly striking feature of the track listing is the pairing of "Orbit Pt.1" and "Orbit Pt.2". It's a brave venture to dedicate 40% of a debut EP to one concept, but like any explorative process, risk can pay off. The two songs contrast with each other, evoking sensations of weightlessness in "Orbit Pt.1" with Charles positing "No I never want to come back down / No I never want to come back", and then later the desire for belonging and attraction in "Orbit Pt.2", with the gentle refrains of "You can't help but orbit me" and "I want my world to revolve around you". And with a sound reminiscent of Rihanna, "Orbit Pt.1" has a commercial appeal and crisp production that bids well for Charles.

"Alchemy" has all the properties of gold, but it's not heavy metal - rather it's lounge pop with strong R'n'B roots.

And that paradox sounds exactly like alchemy to me.