EP Review: Kiss The Sky

They say that your whakapapa defines you. That can be a good thing or a weighty stone around your creative neck. For Tamaki Makaurau based Rita Mae, I’d say it’s a blessing – and one to be proud of.

She grew up in Muriwai raised in a musical household. Her late father, Jim Laing (was a member of the legendary Jean-Paul Sartre Experience) encouraged Mae and her two sisters make music enveloped them all in a tightly knit creative community. That really shows in the intense melodies and raw and emotional lyrics of Mae’s latest offering Kiss The Sky.

“You think your special… just like the other guys/ Your hand on my waist, let’s cut to the chase/ You know I’ve got limited time,” she sneers on the title track. As the song plays out, we quickly realise that Mae’s making the decisions here and she’s a woman not to be trifled with. This is a darkly, delicious slice of girl power pop with a sharp, grazing hook. It builds quickly, swathed in synths, grinding beats and a huge dramatic finish.

Following up My Bad is gritty, mid-tempo banger, dripping in attitude and heavy rock moments. It’s a classic hold and release composition that builds up the tension.

Poster Child is way more commercial. Starting out with a synth line that reminded me of an old dial-up modem before breaking out into classic girl-pop, Mae’s vocals layered in ironic syrup. “Call me up honey, it’ll cost me nothing, you know you wanna try, I’ll make it easy. “On first lick, this is pure saccharine. But with the reference to Poster Child I can’t help thinking this is more an insult than an invitation.

For the scathing ballad Big Star, she pulls no punches: “Oh what have you done/ you’re such a big star/ You swear you are having fun, but you’re not fooling anybody.” Whoever this is, she’s letting them know that she can see through their façade of BS. Some great lines “She’s always been a man of her word/Even despite what you’ve heard/such a pretty sight/ watching her come down to earth. ”Wonderful ‘ironics’ going on here. “Don’t reach out to touch her, she might fall apart.” But what really makes this song special are the souring vocals. If Mae could be sickly-sweet at times, then her slightly husky alto, juxtaposed to gorgeously high soprano notes is a complete contrast. As this song progresses, her voice swirls around, bolstered by layers of reverb, giving off a slightly ethereal sound, especially on the lines “come back to earth”.

Aptly, the closer is When You Go. This is more traditional Kiwi singer/songwriter fare, with hints of Neil Finn and Sir Dave Dobbyn in its construction. Familiar, again with a great hook, and the promise of a sing a long chorus. But, if where calling out the references, it changes to a sharper, grungier part, something like Julia Deans would write. I’m expecting a big, invested, climactic finish. But instead, it just drops off, as if unfinished, the way artists complete their sets at festival gigs when they’re about to go over time.

This EP is strong and faithful to Mae’s brand – dare I say a pop with hint of feminist grunge? But don’t take this lady lightly – She has a degree in neuroscience (oh yes!). Yet, it’s the time she spent learning about musical production that pays dividends here. It’s a rich, confident package, building on earlier releases like the hi-octane pop-power of the single Candy’s House (Comedown Song) (2021) and its parent EP Superfeeling Deluxe.

More recently, Mae grabbed the attention of Rolling Stone Australia, reckoning her to be “one of eight Kiwis artists tipped to take over”. Looking for a hat to hang on, people have suggested her sound is a “cool cross between BENEE and Vera Ellen”. I can’t argue with that but in the back of my mind, I can’t help recalling the sweet, sweet alt-pop of JPS Experience (Let There Be Love, I Like Rain) and seeing more the one nod to them in her song writing. However, clearly, she is her own woman. Far from being an albatross, this is air under her wings, what will make her soar through the skies!