South Carolina-based artist Niecy Blues makes haunting, ethereal music that channels the spiritual qualities of ambient music and gospel. She grew up in a religious household in Oklahoma and describes the church atmosphere as her introduction to ambient music. While her earlier music resembled more conventional R&B songwriting, her work since 2020s CRY EP has drifted into a more free-floating space, with layered vocals, gentle looping, and untethered guitar. Her 2021 single "Bones Become the Trees" was an irresistible lo-fi pop tune about her rejection of organized religion, and embrace of her newfound freedom. Exit Simulation is her Kranky-issued debut album, and it reflects back on what she heard and felt in the church environment growing up, while letting that spirit guide her forward in her current state. Musically, its an entrancing mixture of ambient folk-soul bringing to mind Solanges When I Get Home, Spelllings Pantheon of Me, and Grouper, with privately recorded sample interludes similar to what LRain does on her albums. Opening with the guitar-driven "1111," which is elevated by a rush of siren-like synths, "The Nite B4" is pulled by a hypnotic current of flashing arpeggios, with Niecys multi-tracked, delayed vocals rippling over. "U Care" has a sluggish, lo-fi drum machine beat and lyrics of desire and appreciation, dreamily segueing into the sounds of chirping birds and then an enraptured church service. "Violently Rooted," another song with a ticking electronic beat, seems to be about distancing from a traumatic past, freeing oneself from fear, and moving forward. Mary Lattimore adds harp to the billowing "Exits," and KeiyaA is among the guest musicians on the jazzy "Soma," which has a calming yet motivational "easy come, easy go" refrain. The skittering, sensual "The Architect" is one of the albums most tense moments, but release comes in the form of the gorgeous slowcore-ish ballad "Cascade." Simply a remarkable, powerful debut. ~ Paul Simpson

Rovi