When Daze Alive vocalist Rico gives a recommendation for a vocalist, best believe I’m going to give them my full attention. So when he dedicated an Instagram post to songstress Syn, it piqued my interest. She dropped her debut EP “Butterflies.” not long after this discovery. It’s certainly a pleasant surprise.

“Floetry… And We’re Alright”

Though I try not to very often, sometimes it’s good to point out the obvious. Syn takes heavy inspiration from British neo-soul duo Floetry. “I Blush So Easily” could’ve easily slotted itself onto “Floetic.” Both in cadence and musical composition, Syn matches the soul and energy of Natalie Stewart, The Floecist, and some of the huskier smoothness of Marsha Ambrosius, The Songstress. It’s no mistake Syn samples a line from the now timeless demo “Butterflies” (“You give me butterflies inside”). There are also hints of Maddslinky groove “Further Away.” Syn’s tone and the song’s syncopation and synth work are almost a compliment to the deep house of the 2011 tune.

From there, we get a song more in line with the recognizable trends in R&B from South Korea. A simple beat compliments of a filtered 808, easy bass line, basic melodies to house the actual vocal. Rico’s voice is such a soothing compliment to Syn’s. The pair of their voices on a song so rooted in the patterns indicative of Korean R&B makes it such an easy track to listen to. That said, it dances dangerously on the side of more background music than something to invest serious listening into. An easy track that while lovely in its own right isn’t much more than that. I do applaud some of the more overtly sensual imagery (“Grab my hair and pull,” “Wanna rock you ’til the waterfall”), but it doesn’t do much more to make an impression.

“There For me, There For Me”

“Selp Cure Tape.” is a beautiful piece of music. Soothing. Emotional. It’s the most obviously personal track on the EP. Syn continues to wear her influences openly (the sparse piano hinting at Floetry’s “Feelings,” while the overall makeup is reminiscent of Van Hunt’s “What Can I Say (For Millicent)” or “Headroom”). Perhaps a little closer to home, the overall composition reminds me of former Decadent lead vocalist Jin Dong-wook’s “Question.”

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if it means she’s able to fully express what’s resting on her soul. Her breathy second soprano does evoke an air of desperation. Sensitivity to an unsure situation. Most notable are her nods to Lauryn Hill’s own desperate plea for clarity, “Ex Factor”: “Care for me, care for me. There for me, there for me.” Certainly the most uniquely crafted piece on the album.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Syn has a gorgeous voice. Her tone is silky, smooth. A second soprano range that has an edge to it that separates her from many of her peers. That being said, I find myself thinking Syn is still looking for musical direction. Relying so heavily on her influences to flesh out a three-song EP doesn’t much to inform an audience new to her exactly what she’s about. 

Paying Homage

These not-so-subtle nods to Floetry permeate the entire EP. Featuring lyrics from some of their most popular grooves (“Say Yes” and “Butterflies”) and even taking some of the emotional weight of one of their most evocative B-sides (“Feelings”), Syn’s Butterflies. does, in fact, seem more like an EP meant to pay homage. As far as debut efforts go, it’s certainly well crafted. If not a bit lacking in originality. Perhaps for Korea it’s a one of a kind. But fans of R&B and it’s younger cousin neo-soul will see it for what it is.

A beautifully crafted album that is obviously a love note to one of The Culture’s most beloved duos: Floetry. A beautiful voice with some compositional and lyrical nuance sprinkled in among the specters of her influences. “Butterflies.” is a decent starting point. I’m anxious to see if Syn can navigate through shadows of those she looks up to in order to truly find her own artistic merit. She’s too talented to attempt to fill shoes that don’t fit her.

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