Largely unknown and unrecorded, Luna Aura is relatively new to the game. Her fan base is also rather small. With just over 700 fans on Facebook and currently less than 500 followers on Twitter, it may seem like the young San Diego native may have quite the uphill battle to fame. However, through the release of her debut, self-titled EP on Aug. 26, as well as an inclusion in the “Ahead of the Curve” section of iTunes, Luna Aura makes quite the stride toward national prominence.
Consisting of five synth-pop infused tracks, “Luna Aura” is both dream-like and intense. As each track plays through, Luna Aura showcases powerful vocals and swirling beats that would make Avicii jealous.
In the EP’s opening track, “Radio,” Aura utilizes slow-paced, deep threads of synthesizers to build. Then, as the song grows, so do the instrumentals. As the lead, it provides a strong start that will draw in fans of artists like Tove Lo and Jessie Ware.
Perhaps one of the most danceable tracks on the EP is “Blow.” With moments of rap infusion, “Blow” could almost draw comparisons to a more urban Lorde. Its aggressive, yet simple lyrics make it easy enough to see this song go from indie-synth-pop to Top 40 hit.
By far the best song on the album is “Eyez.” From its dreary opening to its ability to combine wispy lyrics and harsh beats; “Eyez” is both raw and emotional. It’s an effective ballad that plays mostly on the dark and powerful tones of Aura’s voice.
Upon listening to “Wicked,” listeners will instantaneously become fans of Luna Aura. Like “Blow,” Aura balances nicely between singing and rapping. A nice surprise also comes about when a male rapper enters the track. This change in vocals prevents the EP from getting too repetitive.
The last track on Luna Aura’s EP is “Too Young To Die.” As the final song on the EP, it sums up the record rather seamlessly. Once again playing on the rap genre, Aura provides hints of multiple other genres including R&B. It’s one of the EP’s strongest showings.
Like a more youthful Imogen Heaps, Luna Aura makes a strong argument to keep the synth-pop subgenre alive. In fact, the only critique that could be offered could be based only on the fact that the EP’s cover art may turn away more mainstream listeners. It’s slightly anime-inspired look leaves the album and the art feeling less connected. However, surely this is not enough to turn away anyone from being fans should they see past the artwork and actually listen to the music.
