Bostonโs own Valerie Forgione, frontwoman of the dark dream-pop project Lovina Falls, returns with a lush, cinematic new EP, Would That It Were, released on September 5, 2025. Following her acclaimed 2023 debut, Calculating the Angle of Our Descent, Forgione dives headfirst into a world of introspection, escapism, and grandeur. The record threads her signature mix of baroque-pop, post-punk, and electronic art-rock, tinged with melancholy, resilience, and a touch of theatrical flair. Produced alongside David Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound, this five-track collection comes like a wistful yet empowering, grounded yet otherworldly kaleidoscope of emotions.
The opening track, โLight and Low,โ sets the tone with bustling percussion and glistening synths that shimmer like city lights through fog. Forgioneโs hypnotic voice glides over the rhythm, steady and assured, as she muses on renewal and forward motion. Itโs catchy even as she meanders over life advice over a dance pulse. Then thereโs โTragedy,โ the EPโs thundering centerpiece. Thick guitar layers grind against rumbling drums while her voice drops into a smoky, deliberate cadence. The bridge comes distorted, raw, and cathartic in noise. Meanwhile, the choral refrain, โItโs a tragedy, itโs a tragedy, what you long to be and what you want from me,โ lands like a philosophical punch. Itโs a song that aches with self-awareness yet still glows with defiance.
By the time โEllery Wayโ rolls in, the atmosphere turns cinematic and brooding. The track breathes mystery with slow-building drums, echoing cymbals, and an anthemic vocal that captures the loneliness and wonder of wandering into the unknown. Through it all, Forgione stands firm through chaos and calm alike. Would That It Were is an emotional map of survival and beauty in the thick of modern ruin.
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Review by: Naomi Joan