(Mental Health Breakthroughs): MARTINA ARMOUR + “What It Feels Like” EP Review

Martina Armour: The LA music scene currently is recovering from being shut down for almost 18 months now, so it’s a bit unclear what it will look like but I really hope for a renaissance where it will be even better than before. A bit more indie artist friendly. Pre-pandemic, LA music scene is very diverse and very lively. EVERYONE comes through here and I feel so lucky to be able to see all the great acts from around the world. I live close to the Troubadour so I go there a lot (before Covid). In terms of performing, I have hopes that I’ll be able to play my EP to live audiences as soon as it’s safe for everyone!

Martina Armour:  Oh I’m absolutely OBSESSED with Fleetwood Mac haha. Great to hear you are as well! Would love to know your favorite song(s)! I’ve been in love with “Storms” for years and always dreamed of one day covering it. It equally excited me as it terrified me, I really wanted to do it justice and not butcher it. So I started making some demos to see in what direction I was gonna take it. Being a song that I loved so much, I was overthinking every musical decision and I ended up with four different versions! Eventually I realized I needed a new set of ears on this project or I’d never finish it. So I messaged my friend and collaborator David Bashford who’s an amazing producer and asked if he wanted to jump on board. He’s also a huge Fleetwood Mac fan, which was very important for me. I gave him all my versions and he magically brought them all together and just took it to the next level and I was excited – this was the right direction. Then getting that sweet message from Mick Fleetwood (omg!) was just the reassurance that gave me the ultimate confidence. If he likes it, I guess we’re on the right track! Mick is such a sweet soul to record that, it was the most amazing gift I could’ve ever receive! It genuinely took me about 1 month to actually hit me that he sent that message! And I’m still processing the fact that my hero knows I exist!! haha!

Martina Armour:  The interesting part of working on this EP was that I started recording it before the pandemic and kept working on it during the lockdown. So I have songs that I recorded at The Village Studio here in Los Angeles, with one of my producers and engineer Alex Williams. And then the other half of the songs we’re recorded in my bedroom where I had to engineer myself haha! So it was VERY interesting and different! Going into the recording studio, I’m super rested, I have my hot tea and I’m so laser focused and ready. Being at The Village is a magical experience where you really feel the magic of all the greats who’s recorded there before, the walls really do have that energy. And having my producer/engineer do all the technical makes it just an easy and fun experience. Recording at home is different, it’s not the same pressure because you can record as many takes as you want, something that can be a negative as well if you’re a perfectionist like me. So at home I’m my own engineer, which comes with it’s own challenges and advantages. But in the beginning of 2021 I built a vocal booth that made a huge difference on the sound and made it feel like a little mini studio experience in my bedroom!

Martina Armour:  “Storms”! The way it keeps building and building would be so fun with a live band and also feeling the energy from the audience as it grows with this infectious beat Impossible to stand still. “Knife” is a song that I love playing live, such a fun piano song to play and make it dark and moody.

Martina Armour:  I don’t know if I’ve reached the glamorous part yet! haha. But I can imagine having a team to delegate different tasks such as admin would be amazing. That sounds glamorous to me 🙂 Oh and having someone doing my makeup makes me feel like a queen! haha.

The most non-glamourous part is how much work that actually goes behind each song/release. A big part of it not creative at all and more technical.  is definitely when I’m sitting going through my vocal takes in my studio!

Martina Armour:  My morning walks are sacred! Starting the day with a good hike has become so important for me. It helps me clear my head and lower my anxiety and I know I’ll have a much better day if I do that. I try to go to bed somewhat early, but I’m a night owl that loves to wake up early so it’s a struggle getting those hours of sleep in! Eating well is something that keeps my body and mind happy. But the most important thing for me is writing, if I go too long without writing and processing my feelings through music I get very anxious. Oh and dark chocolate! Makes everything better haha.

Martina Armour:  I’m so excited to try to reach as many ears as possible with this EP! Hopefully very soon I can do some live performances. I also have EP number 2 in the works so there’s a lot more music coming!

Martina Armour:  Thank you so much Matty, I loved chatting with you! Thanks for having me.

Haunting pianos, melancholy vocals and lyrics, brooding arrangements.  For an upstart artist, Martina Armour has this uncanny ability to not only make you feel every emotion she’s conveying, but for you to relate to her.  “What It Feels Like” was released September 3rd independently and with this release, Martina Armour is one of the best kept secrets in the folk singer/songwriter world.  Songs like “Knife” start moody and slow, yet slowly builds into this triumphant crescendo while “On The Run” needs to be on a show like “This Is Us”, I get the perfect series finale vibe with “On The Run” in the backdrop of a dramatic television show.  I don’t say this often, in fact I rarely say it, but I’m flabbergasted at what I listened to.  “What It Feels Like” by Martina Armour is on my very short list of one of the best EP’s I’ve heard in 2021.  She’s the type of artist where you have to tell all your friends what you just listened to, she’s that compelling.  Check out this incredible EP via Spotify!