Internal chaos turned into atmospheric soundscapes is what Nikita Lev has delivered on her four-track EP, Suspend.
Hailing from The Big Apple, Lev has released an emotionally introspective set of tracks. Growing up amidst the sounds of chamber music and 90’s alternative, she started writing songs at ten years old, and hasn’t looked back since. Her recent EP is a reflective journey through the aftermath of a disconnection.
The EP opens with “Kill Her Mind,” which sets the tone for a melancholic, dream-like energy.
It’s not just a breakup song, but more of a haunting overthinking anthem that describes the healing process from a breakup. “Feels like I’ll wake up having never loved anyone at all / Interspace to believe that you couldn’t even see me,” Lev sings in the opening lines. The swirling guitars and wispy vocals portray a reflective mood, painting the picture of dwelling on the past.
The mood shifts on “No One’s Gonna,” a warmer song with dreamy harmonies.
This track illustrates a true connection with someone, as she repeats, “No one’s gonna love me like you,” insinuating that the connection was fleeting. The track gradually gets more upbeat with an acoustic folk sound in the introduction, reaching its peak with warped and layered vocals over an energetic drum track. Compared to the previous track, the atmospheric arrangements remain, but the underlying tension is replaced with a gentle, certain resolve, displaying Lev’s versatility in moving seamlessly between emotional states.
“So Clear” is the dark, mellow standout on this EP. It perfectly captures the emotional contradictions of life—love and loss, connection and solitude—without demanding a neat resolution, with sprinkles of gentle piano riffs in the background. Its slower pacing and layered, introspective production perfectly articulate the feeling of sitting with a weight on one’s shoulders. This track serves as the EP’s emotional core, acknowledging that life often exists in the unresolvable “in-between” moments.
Lev’s closing track, “Your Dove,” departs from the rest of the EP on a powerful note.
The song goes back and forth from the mournful mood portrayed earlier in the EP, to almost grunge-like territory. The guitar comes in heavier, expressing anger over the sadness that the previous songs have. At just under three minutes, it leaves a lasting impression, showcasing a potential path toward a bigger, arena-ready sound.
Nikita Lev manages to fuse delicate, insightful songwriting with textured, often gritty production, creating a body of work that is deeply intimate yet universally resonant. The EP’s short duration proves irrelevant; it is what she does with the time that counts, offering listeners a cohesive and highly replayable glimpse into her bruised yet luminous emotional world.
Lev’s release show is slated for November 4th at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn.
