On her 2022 EP ‘To Go’, Ciao Malz presented some interesting alt-pop sounds. It’s finest three minutes,‘Your Winner’, introduced listeners to someone who appeared to meld the Fleetwood Mac obsessions of Lissie with the pop of Chvrches. By centring everything around a superb bassline, the light pop sound also shared a great groove, creating a sound upon which singer-songwriter Malia DelaCruz could certainly build. The late period Rilo Kiley influence at the heart of ‘Around’, in particular, proved this was no fluke.
It would’ve been easy for Ciao Malz to churn out more of the same on a follow up, but 2024’s ‘Safe Then Sorry’ twists her pop into new, slightly more experimental shapes. This is most obvious on the lead track ‘Two Feet Tall’. The opening guitar riff presents a fusion of twee indie and lounge jazz, and has been presented in an off kilter manner that makes it sound as if it’s been captured on a stretched tape. The strange presentation will be enough alone to suggest DelaCruz has no real interest in treading water, musically. Against the wonky core, the drums and vocals latch onto a very 90s inspired brand of indie pop, and her voice delivers something very sugary. There are moments where the older Ciao Malz sound is obvious, but throughout this track, the light pop and bendy sound appear to battle each other. The odd sound mightn’t appeal to everyone, but given time to adjust, this is a tune that sounds both fun and weirdly nostalgic. For fans of old Sarah Records fare, especially, it could come as an unexpected treat. ‘Take Me Out of Here’ ventures further into a more traditional dreampop landscape, especially in the way that parts of the vocal melody veer towards a Cocteau Twins-esque quality, but the heart of the “new” Ciao Malz sound remains. Against a great, sugar-coated vocal and melody, a warped lead guitar sound weaves a strange tune, where traces of Hawaiian melodies collide with 90s indie pop, and a warm bass underscores a truly otherworldly sound. There are moments where the overall sound could make the listener feel uneasy, but at the same time, it’s great to hear an artist experimenting within their studio environs.
The material here sometimes feels more like an artist branching out into a soundscape rather than sharing big hooks, but those looking for something a little more immediate will not feel short-changed by ‘Gold Rush’, which injects a little more of the previous EP’s pop-ish feel into the newer Ciao sound. Here, DelaCruz applies her pleasingly light voice to an arrangement which mixes the hazy sounds of dream pop with a beach friendly atmosphere. The acoustic elements bring another Hawaiian vibe to a great melody, which is augmented by a few twangy guitar sounds. Rhythmically, things are just as interesting: the floaty pop is ultimately anchored by a busy groove that calls back to the indie sounds of the early 90s, and more specifically the baggy scene. In terms of bringing all of Ciao Malz’s influences and interests together, this is a very strong recording – almost on a par with the earlier ‘Your Winner’ – and deserves to reach a broader audience. Rounding out the EP, ‘Bad For The Bad Guy’ opts for a slightly mellower approach. Although you could never call the arrangement stripped down, its intro casts more of a spotlight onto acoustic guitar sounds, before introducing more trippy beach pop. The featured vocal is even more spacey than before, with DelaCruz stretching her performance to fill a minimalist chorus melody, but by the time everything reaches the payoff hook, there’s a feeling that, in time, this is a track that’ll find a natural place in the Ciao Malz canon, despite being this EP’s lesser offering.
This EP, sonically, at least, feels like a step sideways from prior Ciao Malz works, but the best material still presents an artist with an interesting take on a dreampop/alt-pop sound. It’s worth checking out for ‘Gold Rush’, but there are no weak links here – even the oddity of ‘Two Feet Tall’ has its own charm. The material sometimes values atmospherics over immediacy, but those who are able to find a way into these off-kilter pop sounds will certainly discover something interesting.
November 2024
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