Sasha Sloan’s ‘House With No Mirrors’ exemplifies the beauty of a simple, straightforward melody. At a time when the preferred style for most female artists seems to lean on the side of loud, showy, and explosive, it’s genuinely refreshing to see an artist touch upon her own vulnerabilities.

Sasha’s light, airy voice is tailor-made for such gentle compositions, where she gets to explore a range of emotions without bothering with extensive vocal riffs or heavy production value. The dreamy guitar progression in accompaniment with the steady, propelling percussion does more than enough to keep the mood introspective but engaging. 

Having co-written for a variety of successful artists in the scene, including the likes of Katy Perry, John Legend, Charli XCS, Anne Marie, and more, Sasha knows a thing or two about crafting the most contemplative, memorable melodies. Straight from the beginning, the style is kept largely modest; the notes don’t fluctuate too much, letting Sasha make use of the song structure to effectively deliver her powerful words. A ‘House With No Mirrors’ is one that would shield someone from the horrors of their insecurities and fears, so the person would be free to do whatever they please without worrying about the consequences. 

Though the genre can be labelled as indie-pop, it’s worth noting that the central guitar hook does pave the way for a rustic folk inflection. The most incredible thing about the ballad is that the tune manages to convey so much without overdoing it on the vocals or the instrumentation. The bridge, in particular, is highly moody, relying upon slight echoes of Sasha’s voice that come in distant waves. The music video for ‘House With No Mirrors’ also presents a nostalgic, melancholic story, where Sasha is seen dressing in all-back, strolling through a beaten-up house. The last of the video shows her taking off her dark make-up, and this journey down memory lane seems to be at its conclusion. 

Though Sasha has released a handful of EPs over the years, her first album Only Child actually arrives on October 16. Seeing how the first single off the album is such a stunning, enchanting capture of emotions, it’s anyone’s guess what the other features are going to touch upon. 

 pop       indie 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.