Last week, East London-born singer-songwriter Bel Cobain uncovered her highly anticipated 5-track EP ‘Radical Forgiveness’ , after teasing with the addicting jazz infused drum and bass release ‘Unlikely’ and poignantly honest ballad ‘Pressure to Exist’.

Bel Cobain’s sonic evolution, over the past five years, has led her to a place where integrity and consciousness find the perfect solace in her sultry vocals. The rising singer-songwriter has settled into an important seat within the UK’s growing Neo Soul and Jazz scene. Not shying from sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary, social and political truths, Bel’s most recent project is a true testament to her musical progression. ‘Radical Forgiveness’ sees her exploring the sounds of Jazz, R&B and Drum and Bass, while bringing a clarity to her message through her striking vocals and hard-hitting spoken word. 

This most recent release showcases the 22-year old’s perceptive understanding of not only the world around her, but of those far from her. Having crafted ‘Radical Forgiveness’ between London, Mexico City and Oaxaca at an artist residency, she tells i-D how inspiration spurred from the striking communities she encountered and their untamed creativity. ‘Wordly Bliss (Interlude)’ is an example of Bel’s evolved consciousness, where she dives into a commentary on the copious atrocities taking place in other parts of the world. She questions her own circumstances, in which she is warm and well-fed and she contemplates that with the current state of the world, for many, ignorance appears to be bliss.

In the first track ‘Pressure to Exist’, Bel enters with her evocative vocals and keys that ooze a grounded, tender soul. Setting the tone for the EP, she crafts a sense of release and escapism through her expansive melodies. She looks back retrospectively at a breakdown she had in her late teens, recalling her search for answers;“Is this a breakthrough, or is it a breakdown?”. Having spent most of her life in London, Bel recently decided to move away from the chaos of the capital to the Kent coastline, prioritising her connection with nature and spirituality. Her escape to the tranquil pace of the coast shines through in the slow burn of ‘Pressure to Exist’ and track four, ‘Came Over Me’. 

As ‘Unlikely’ plays, immediately a new story unfolds. Carried by an exhilarating drum and bass rhythm and a jazz-heavy bass, we hear Bel’s haunting vocals deliver the story of a paranormal encounter she had during her time in Mexico. She intertwines her experience with a poignant commentary on the injustices towards Mexico’s own indigenous people as she sings “feeling sorry for my people who got rigged by the systematic default”. 

At the EP’s half-way point, Bel strips it down with ‘Worldy Bliss (Interlude)’, which intros with a striking, moody bassline and her ghostly distorted vocals. She holds this same enigmatic energy in ‘Came Over Me’, as she speaks closely to the listener. This time however, injecting a sure sensuality into her cadence and painting pictures of lonely late nights calls that often lead to a momentary bliss – whether it’s good for us or not.  

Bel wants her listeners to know that ‘Radical Forgiveness’ is more than just an EP, it’s a message bigger than her. “I want to make sure that if there’s anything I leave, it’s a clear message for people to wake up, smell the coffee and do something about it. I’m on radical energy,” she tells i-D.  Ending the EP on that same high, she finishes on the hopeful, lo-fi dance track, ‘Awakening’ calling listeners to join her on a path to a higher understanding of the world around us.