Kelly Kirwan
Dea Juris has a voice like satin with a vintage sheen. As the crooner behind Brooklyn two-piece Eda Wolf, her dreamy pitch pulls us into a haze of softly-rolling R&B with a groovy electronic undercurrent (courtesy of Emiliano Flowerman, the other half of this dynamic duo). Their latest track, “Rough Terrain,” has a nostalgic glint, a familiar melody that pours from the speakers like a long-forgotten memory.
"Rough Terrain" is easy listening at it’s finest, which isn’t to say it’s a simple track. Far from it. Shimmering percussion forms its foundation, as Juris’ voice teeters between a reflective, velvet tone and soaring, full-bodied notes. “I’ve done it all again,” she sings, one of the song’s repeated phrases, “Found myself in rough terrain again.” She takes her time over these words, punctuating each syllable so it hovers for a moment, emboldened.
And still, despite its tone of resignation, the track features a surprisingly sunny disposition. “Fill it up fully / Fill it up closely / Why don’t you ever pour it over? / Spill it like flowers / Spill it on concrete,” Juris sings, and it’s as if were wading through an afternoon reverie in which everything works out swimmingly. There’s a nonchalance and warmth to "Rough Terrain" that’s absolutely addictive.