ESS SEE

Ess See was MADE for the NYC music scene. Well, let me be clear that the NYC music scene is kind of like that Cafeteria picture that became a meme. We are a bunch of tables, and everyone is sitting with their clique, which makes deciding a concert kind of like deciding a clique. Ess See feels like fabulosity incarnate; summoning the “glammers” of NYC!

The “Glammers” are the cafeteria table where pink tutu’s, rhinestones as eyeliners, and fashion moon boots are perfect day-wear attire. EVEN IN AUGUST! They are the “No F**Ks Given” crew when it comes to making their “outside” feel like a fantasy version of their “inside.” Thus, her show at Bowery Electric felt exclusively inclusive; asking attendees to be glam for a night. With tulle abound and a pearled, pastel leotard, Ess See looked like she walked out of a Paper Magazine shoot. She felt like a Greta Garbo/ Lady Gaga fusion: Greta Gaga. The crowd, of course, loved it because, in New York, we love hard-workers.

New York is a world, and, in it, we enjoy efforts. Ess See goes out of her way to be imaginative; even putting on a speaking voice that felt like a classic, old-movie star. With metallic petals behind her and a keyboardist that moved like he was Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, she is what the younglings call…… a mood. Yet, she defines the statement with with electro-pop dreams and a couture/ avant-garde style. She shows “mood” is about how a person can represent a vibe or frequency we all wish to tap into, of which glam is most definitely tap-worthy.

The fun of Ess See is that she is FUN! She shows that the value of a song can come in how you present it. In interviewing her, she talked about how deep her songs were to her; kind of like music sage waving perfumed clarity over her life choices. Yet, live, it was all about FUN! I love that and it showed the beauty of pop: let the artist get deep, but let the listener feel light. For More Information On Ess See Click Here. - Diandra Reviews It All

Each of us needs a personal anthem to guide us through the darkness: A reminder not only that life is a vast, chaotic array of good and bad, ups and downs, but also that it’s worth the effort and so much more than the sum of its parts. An intimate electropop anthem of inner strength and self-love, ESS SEE’s “Slip Slide” aches with touching vulnerability in its stirring, heartfelt embrace.

Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Slip Slide,” ESS SEE’s first release of 2019 and the lead single off her forthcoming debut album, Waiting for the Sky to Fall (out at the end of the summer). The moniker for Brooklyn by-way-of Little Rock artist Sarah Cobb, ESS SEE first introduced herself over two years ago with the indulgent single “Touch Me,” soon after followed by 2017’s Ordinary Woman EP. Blending beat-driven dance pop and sultry, soulful R&B elements with classic guitar and keyboard-driven rock influence, ESS SEE’s progressive pop identity is maturely multi-faceted and absolutely entrancing.

At times, ESS SEE sounds straight out of the Flaming Lips’ camp of ethereal otherworldliness; in other moments, her magnetic left-of-center pulse feels more aligned with acts like Neon Trees, St. Vincent, and Robyn. Writing and performing her music with Charlie Rauh’s guitar work and Julie Kathryn’s (I Am Snow Angel) production and mixing, ESS SEE has now crafted an album that captures her full essence.

“Slip Slide” is our first peek at the long-awaited Waiting for the Sky to Fall, reaffirming ESS SEE’s exciting musicality with catchy licks and dazzling electropop instrumentation ready and waiting for multiple listens. According to ESS SEE, “‘Slip Slide’ is a song about humility, and becoming self-aware. It’s the process of accepting your failures, imperfections, and shortcomings, and resolving to fully and joyfully embrace all the ups and downs of life.”

I’m living broken
Got no quick fixes
No no, no no, no no
These heavy blindfolds
They leave me listless
No no, no no, no no

Pitched-down vocals open the song with the repeated line, “There’s so many others out there just like you.” These words come to act as both musical and lyrical mantras: ESS SEE begins singing atop the repetition and a light keyboard, dwelling in a dark space of insecurity, uncertainty, and self-doubt. A sparse, emotionally substantial melody begins to take shape as ESS SEE approaches the chorus. Energy builds internally until the walls come crashing down in a spirited, hopeful chorus:

I won’t slide back again
Backslide to way back when
Slip to the now instead
I won’t slide back again
Slip slide slip slide

“I wrote ‘Slip Slide’ on the tail end of an intense season of restlessness (some might’ve called it a quarter life crisis),” ESS SEE tells Atwood Magazine. “I was floating around — bored, complacent, and had no idea what I was doing with my life. I was just starting to shake myself out of it, but was terrified I’d end up back in the same spot. I began thinking a lot about death and what it means to live fully while we’re here. Ultimately, the only thing I figured out was to embrace the humanity of it all — to try and let go of past failures and disappointment, and go ‘all in’ on the present. This song is a pep talk to myself to stay awake, to keep going, and to have a little bit more grace and compassion for myself and others along the way.”

Directed by Jonathan Frey and choreography by Andrea Baez, ESS SEE’s “Slip Slide” music video endeavors to depict the song’s emotional release – that buoyant embrace of life’s full spectrum that comes from acknowledging the ultimate balance – that we don’t get the good without the bad. Dancers Emma Trujillo Jimenez and Miguel Angel Cisneros inject excitement and love into an empty dancefloor, basking in the glow of one another’s presence as take advantage of the full, cooly-lit space together.

“For the music video, I wanted to find a way to show what this type of freedom might look like: To be confident, imperfect, vulnerable, and comfortable,” ESS SEE explains. “It struck me that maybe the only way to really get to this place in life, is through living it; and that maybe I wasn’t quite far enough along yet. So, I tasked my director and long time collaborator, Jonathan Frey (who is currently taking a hiatus from NYC in México City), with finding an older couple to dance to the song. We struck gold when we found Emma and Miguel, two adorable and incredibly talented dancers based in México City. Emma and Miguel have been dancing together for over 40 years. They regularly dance in the Salóns of Mexico City well into the night, and have more energy and better moves than most people I know half their age (including myself).”

ESS SEE continues, “We were lucky enough to have choreographer Andrea Bàez on set to help translate the vision and bring the concept to life. But for the most part, we let Emma and Miguel do their thing. They danced for hours and each time the music started it got better and better. I could’ve watched them for days. Their chemistry was so magnetic and their intimacy and comfort with themselves and each other was intoxicating. It was truly everything I’d hoped for, and they exuded exactly the level of joy, confidence, and freedom I hope to fully inhabit someday.”

Love permeates “Slip Slide” as ESS SEE’s intimate outpouring transforms into an impassioned anthem of resolve, conviction, and inner strength. Stream “Slip Slide” exclusively on Atwood Magazine, and stay tuned for more from ESS SEE as she gears up to release her debut album: Waiting for the Sky to Fall is scheduled to release at summer’s end! - Atwood Magazine

People say the music industry is hard, which it is. Yet, truthfully, it is industry, itself, that is difficult, especially for people with a lot of heart and a strong mind. Still, you need maneuver through business to get your art to more people, but how you carry yourself determines your power. For ESS SEE, playing Bowery Electric on August 27, art is not simply about being powerful as much as what is its power. In essence, what is the point of being able to fly if you there is no sky or being able to heal if there are never wounds. What is you power might be a more important question than if you are powerful. In our interview we discuss empowerment, power, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Diandra: What do you believe is the “Power of A Woman,” and what is your power as a woman?

ESS SEE: The power of a woman is vast. It’s resilience, endurance, and grace in the face of adversity. It’s tenderness and compassion towards others. It’s in the beauty of every curve and angle of the body. It’s in the womb. It’s in the mind, heart, voice and hands; evident in the work we produce. It’s the ability to constantly pivot and redefine femininity, all the while supporting and uplifting each other in the process.

My personal power as a woman is most currently tied to my music. It’s the platform for me to say anything I need to say, unfiltered. I am able to explore my relationships, my sexuality, my being, my frustrations with the world etc. I find a lot of power in the day to day as an independent artist. I still hustle at my day job to pay the bills. I use my nights and weekends to write and perform. I surround myself with both men and women who challenge and support me. I find a lot of joy in my independence.

I think empowerment is contagious. It’s not something we necessarily find on our own. I had great female role models: a Grandmother who joined the Navy in WWII and then worked full time as a nurse while raising 3 children with my Grandfather; and a Mother who formed her own successful small business while raising two children and helping my Father build our family home from the ground up. I was lucky to see firsthand what women can accomplish, (and how much we can juggle at once!). Now I’m emboldened to embrace my power, and carve my own path.


Diandra: Your music speaks to embracing your mind’s intelligence, your soul’s creativity, and your your body’s sexual desires. How have your seen you journey as an artist help you commit to this embrace?

ESS SEE: I feel pretty comfortable with myself these days. I was restless for so many years, avoiding becoming the person and artist I really wanted to be. Once I finally admitted to myself that what I was doing wouldn’t be sustainable for me over the course of a lifetime, I got to work. I found that writing keeps me inside my thoughts and emotions when it could be easier to numb or ignore them. I’m usually alone when I write, so it’s not super difficult to be honest, dark, an sensual with myself. The hard part was exposing that publicly.

Once I started performing, I realized it’s not so scary to be exposed after all – and actually it’s kind of beautiful because it allows me to connect with people who feel the same things. (DUH–that’s what music always did for me as a listener — why did it take me so long to figure out as an artist?!). Experiencing this growth as an artist has emboldened me and allowed me embrace more freedom and curiosity with less pressure or fear — in all aspects of life. I’m more concerned with doing, creating, and experiencing more things – rather than making sure everything is perfect before I make moves.


Diandra: You sing to accepting your failures and being self-aware, “Slip Slide.” What are failures and flaws, about yourself, that music has helped you heal and turn into a positive?

ESS SEE: ”Slip Slide” came at a time when I was transitioning out of my full time career, in advertising, to focus on music. While I was grateful for my career, I was carrying around a lot of regret and frustration that I hadn’t given my music any real focus. I felt like it was probably too late to try. I felt silly and indulgent for entertaining the idea of leaving a stable job. It seemed like I was floating around in someone else’s life day in and day out. Then, at night I would go home, write songs, and become this whole other person – the person I wanted to be. I was making moves and beginning to live the life I wanted, but I was terrified that as soon as something didn’t go as planned or if I failed miserably, that I would give up and revert back to my place of comfort and complacency.

There are a few songs on the album that address this fear – “Survive” “Slip Slide” and “Dance in the Dark” – they all capture how I was feeling at different points of this huge life change. “Survive” was written the day I knew things weren’t working for me, and I needed to shift if I wanted to grow. “Slip Slide” is my pep talk to not slide back into old habits – to keep going down this path even when there may be an easier, more comfortable, way. “Dance in the Dark” is where I’m at now — old days are behind me, I don’t know what’s coming, but I’m so stoked to be here and plan on making the most of it while I’m here.


Diandra: It is not easy to be confident and feel empowered, even if you sing to doing so. What have been your highs and lows in as a music professional building your career, and how do you feel they mold you as a person?

ESS SEE: You’re right. It’s not easy. Especially in music. As an independent artist, the music industry can feel like a constant grind. It requires a lot more hustle and commitment than just making great music. Most of my lows come from feeling like I’m not doing enough, or not making enough progress compared to whatever I have defined in my mind as “success” at the time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed or burnt out.

But then there are the highs: writing a new song and hearing it come to life for the first time. Sitting in the studio finding the perfect synth sound after digging around for hours. Perhaps the most magical – being on stage and hearing an audience sing with me – realizing how much bigger it all is – the songs aren’t mine anymore. They belong to the people using them as a soundtrack to their lives. I’ve rarely felt as connected to others as I do in these moments – it’s humbling and proof to me how similar we all really are.

My experience with music has molded me into a more resilient and less risk averse person. I’m less easily discouraged. It’s helped me to make decisions based on how I might feel about them looking back on my life – rather than trying to meticulously craft a specific future. I trust myself more, but also feel more open and malleable than ever.


Diandra: Vulnerability and authority are two terms used to describe your style. How would you define these two forces in your life?

ESS SEE: I’m pretty sure the two are inherently tied. I don’t think you can fully experience life if you let fear or pain guide you. For me, embracing vulnerability, choosing to be open and honest despite the outcome, leads to more truth and authority. It’s a cycle: I bare my soul, learn from it, and then make confident authoritative decisions based off my experience. Repeat.

Diandra: Describe the moment you fell in love with music, and knew it had a special connection to you.

ESS SEE: I’m not sure there was a distinct moment as much as a culmination of tiny moments. I can remember as a small child playing a game in the car with my grandmother where I would name the song and artist on the radio within a matter of seconds (a skill that has since dulled dramatically). Granny also appreciated my solo rendition of the Jeopardy theme song. My parents would let me choose albums from their extensive collection and let me listen through oversized 1980’s noise cancelling headphones in the living room while they watched TV or made dinner. I sang a LOT. My teen years were spent shut in my bedroom consuming everything I could get my hands on and drawing pictures of Thom Yorke in my sketchbook. In my late teens, I started writing songs on my guitar, and that was probably the beginning of where I am today.

Outside of family, music has been the one constant in my life. It helps me express myself, form new friendships, and made me not feel so alone in the world. I am definitely deeply connected to it, but aren’t we all?


Diandra: Having begun your career in 2009, what are the greatest lessons you have learned in the past decade?

ESS SEE: I cobbled together my first “studio” in the corner of my 8×8 Brooklyn bedroom in 2009 after having written and sang on a couple of other artists’ projects. I was inspired to create for myself, but had no idea what I was doing. I figured it was only in the doing that I would ever get any better.

Since then I’ve learned lots. There was a huge learning curve to combat when it came to producing for myself (I’m still working on it). I had to learn to not beat myself up for not being an expert and also find supportive people who met me where I was at and helped me move forward without judgement. In the same vain, I had to learn how to be open with other artists and trust them with my work (which ultimately made it so much better). I’ve had to adjust how I spend my time – so much of success in music is discipline based, and in a city like, New York, where there’s always something fun to do, it can be tough to carve out time to be alone and create. It took me years to build the confidence to release any music. Part of me regrets this, but only now that I know what’s on the other side. I’m much more comfortable with being a work in progress these days as opposed to thinking I needed to be a polished product.

Diandra: With your new album called, “Waiting For The Sky To Fall,” coming out August 23, what was the inspiration behind the record’s title? What are the core messages?

ESS SEE: The album was finished at the same time I was ending my most significant romantic relationship to date. The title track, “Waiting For The Sky To Fall” is primarily about the relationship, what it felt like to put everything on the line, and then wait around to see what happened. When I was naming the album, I realized that so much of it drew on this same theme. Being brave enough to step out of comfort — even if that means you risk losing (or gaining) everything — in relationships, career, self. The album is about the tension of these moments, and the times of waiting and looking towards the future that follows. It’s about expectations and how monumental things can feel at times, and how we deal with the aftermath of change. There’s no distinct resolution, good or bad in the album–just an acknowledgement that life goes on and rarely looks like what we pictured–but we get to decide how to move forward, and that’s pretty cool.


Diandra Singing to loving yourself despite those that do not or do, what are your likes and dislikes in relationships?

ESS SEE: Is this the part where we find my husband?! - Diandra Reviews It All

While on tour for their debut album, Ess See made a stop in Philadelphia on Friday, August 30th at a Sofar Philly “Totally 80’s” event. Standing within a ring of light Ess See immediately grabbed the full attention of the audience. Performing as a two-piece band, the lead singer, Sarah Cobb and her guitarist, Charlie, greeted eager ears and quickly slid right into an acoustic set, starting with “Slip Slide” a lively song from their newly released album, Waiting For The Sky To Fall.

This night was intimate – as what I’ve learned, most Sofar Philly shows are. And, as Cobb shared post-performance, it is one of the main reasons she enjoys playing Sofar events and wanted to book this tour. Sarah’s songs express her innermost thoughts, feelings, and experiences; the personal nature of the venue, Sacred Vice Brewing Company and the Sofar event coupled with the way people watched and listened from couches, oversized armchairs, and the floor, made this performance feel as if we were all just hanging out in a friends living room listening to them declare their love of self and others, release their pain and turmoil, and navigate confusion finding their way into clarity, while affirming and asserting their intuition, intentions, and powers.

Ess See’s performance was a thirty-minute acoustic set that alternated between originals from their debut album and covers of 80’s songs- providing our ears beautiful renditions of “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” by the Smith’s and “This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush. Their 80’s song choices certainly satisfied the theme of the evening, and Cobb followed up her Kate Bush cover with a moment to pay homage to the renowned artist, acknowledging and expressing gratitude for Bush creating a path for Avant guard performers like herself to have space to not only create and perform, but to also be embraced by a community of people who value, appreciate, and celebrate the artistry of such forms of creative expression.

Throughout the remainder of their brief set, Ess See continued to entrance the audience with her melodious songs and spell bounding lyrics- everyone begged for one more- harmoniously asking for an encore from the enchantress before the Sofar event unplugged to end the show.

When Ess See is performing, the energy of Sarah’s spirit floats around the room captivating the pieces of you that can either relate, understand, empathize, or dream about the realities, fantasies, and emotions they vulnerably share with listeners. Acoustic or full band, playing the album or attending a live performance, Ess See is something magical worth your attention. - That Music Magazine

ESS SEE’s second album “Waiting For The Sky To Fall” released today, this new album is the follow up to ESS SEE’s debut EP, “Ordinary Woman.” “Waiting For The Sky To Fall” takes listeners on both an instrumental and lyrical adventure through soothing electro-pop sounds and empowering messages about femininity.“On My Wave” starts the album on gentle electro-pop instrumentals that showcase ESS SEE’s unique and creative approach to sound as well as intimate lyrics that make it clear that ESS SEE is not holding back in expressing her thoughts and feelings when it comes to the themes of identity, intimacy, and femininity. “Power of a Woman,” the fourth track on the new album was released earlier in July as a single. In “Power of a Woman,” ESS SEE finds that there is power behind women embracing their sexuality but also encourages women to challenge the ideas set by men who are uncomfortable with empowered women.The fifth track “No. 1” was also released as a single prior the album release. In “No. 1,” ESS SEE shares her experience having been in a toxic relationship, refusing to accept less than what she deserves with lyrics such as “I demand a guarantee” and “Baby can you do a little something, make it easier for me.” In “What Happened to You,” ESS SEE shares the importance of communication in a relationship, and that a lack of it will negatively impact any relationship. Throughout the whole album, ESS SEE shares her thoughts and feelings about issues that are not discussed and thought of as often as others, “Survival” goes even deeper into asking herself what it takes to be happy.ESS SEE’s music embraces lyrical influences St. Vincent, Emily Haines, Cole King, and Garbage. “Waiting For The Sky To Fall” delivers empowering messages about femininity, feeling the need to express themselves and challenge issues instead of being silent, building more self-confidence, and being more aware than ever of the toxicity around them. - ALL OR NOTHING MAGAZINE

Sarah Cobb, aka ESS SEE is a Brooklyn via Little Rock, AR artist making artful pop and is preparing to release her first solo LP Waiting for the Sky to Fall, out August 23rd. Ahead of the release the producer/singer/songwriter has shared her second track “No. 1,” as a bonus for fans, she has also shared a Falty DL remix of the track.

Quote from ESS SEE:

“No. 1” is a deep dive into the dark unstable insanity love can make you feel. It’s the grey area when you don’t know where you stand and the unknown can feel like torture—penetrating all your thoughts, even creeping into your dreams. But that kind of insecurity is a load of BS. This is about finding power in knowing what you want and what you deserve—and asking for it.

From Falty DL:

“I was stoked and honored to get the opportunity to remix No. 1 – I immediately heard this different context i could put the song in. A darker more foreboding almost Portishead meets Anika dark wave vibe. I’m super happy with how it turned out.” - Northern Transmissions

Eclectic Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, ESS SEE, captures her life in real time with the release of her single “No. 1” along with the announcement of her upcoming album Waiting For The Sky To Fall – out August 23rd.
With ESS SEE’s demand for respect, out of previous heartbreak, the singer embraces her vulnerability. The singer states that this record is about a “woman who is on the edge.” It’s been known that fed up women get stuff done; ESS SEE is no exception to this truth. Her sultry vocals, amidst the track’s sexy, ethereal production makes her a woman of authority. There’s nothing more captivating than ESS SEE’s realization that she is deserving of the utmost amount of attention; this is a needed reminder for the modern day woman. - Dubiks

ESS SEE embraces vulnerability with her new single “Slip Slide,” which made it onto new music Friday last week, out now.

A song about humility, accepting your failures, and becoming self aware, “Slip Slide” is the celebration and resolution of the ups and downs of life, and about accepting the humanity of existence – to let yourself overcome the reality of uncertainty.

Of the single, ESS SEE states, “It’s really easy to feel inadequate, not good enough, not talented enough, too late to the game. But the truth is, it’s never too late. And I will fail.

And I will succeed. This song is my pep talk – a promise to myself to keep moving forward and to not let my past or my fears get the best of me, no matter how hard it is or how long it takes.” - Skope Magazine

Eclectic Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, ESS SEE, captures her life in real time with the release of her single “No. 1” out today on Northern Transmissions, along with the announcement of her upcoming album Waiting For The Sky To Fall – out August 23rd. With ESS SEE’s demand for respect, out of previous heartbreak, the singer embraces her vulnerability. ESS SEE states that this record is about a “woman who is on the edge.” It’s been known that fed up women get stuff done; ESS SEE is no exception to this truth. Her sultry vocals, amidst the track’s sexy, ethereal production makes her a woman of authority. There’s nothing more captivating than ESS SEE’s realization that she is deserving of the utmost amount of attention; this is a needed reminder for the modern day woman. DJ FaltyDL seemed to think so himself, as he did his own remix of this track.
ESS SEE is Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Sarah Cobb. Cobb began producing her electro-pop demos in 2009 alone in her bedroom at night—honing in on uniquely addictive and seductive melodies often featuring themes dealing with identity, intimacy, and femininity. Embracing lyrical influences St. Vincent, Emily Haines, Carole King, and Garbage—ESS SEE delivers a heightened sense of vulnerability and intimacy in her songwriting. Her rich, often theatrical, live performances engage audiences with eye-popping costumes, humor, and an electric presence. Waiting For The Sky To Fall – out August 23rd is the follow up to ESS SEE’s debut EP, Ordinary Woman which was released in 2017. - Vents Magazine

ESS SEE embraces vulnerability with the video for her new single “Slip Slide“ out today via Atwood Magazine. A song about humility, accepting your failures, and becoming self aware, “Slip Slide” is the celebration and resolution of the ups and downs of life, and about accepting the humanity of existence – to let yourself overcome the reality of uncertainty.

Of the single, ESS SEE states, “It’s really easy to feel inadequate, not good enough, not talented enough, too late to the game. But the truth is, it’s never too late. And I will fail. And I will succeed. This song is my pep talk – a promise to myself to keep moving forward and to not let my past or my fears get the best of me, no matter how hard it is or how long it takes.” - VENTS Magazine

ESS SEE is embracing vulnerability in the music video for her new single “Slip Slide,” which made it onto new music Friday last week. A song about humility, accepting your failures, and becoming self aware, “Slip Slide” is the celebration and resolution of the ups and downs of life, and about accepting the humanity of existence - to let yourself overcome the reality of uncertainty. Watch the video now below!

Of the single, ESS SEE states, “It’s really easy to feel inadequate, not good enough, not talented enough, too late to the game. But the truth is, it’s never too late. And I will fail. And I will succeed. This song is my pep talk - a promise to myself to keep moving forward and to not let my past or my fears get the best of me, no matter how hard it is or how long it takes.” - The Prelude Press

The "Fast Cheap Easy" singer gave an emotionally-charged performance during Women That Rock's Galentine's Day concert event at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, New York. - ET Online

The eclectic electro-pop of ESS SEE has been a long time coming—and well worth the wait. ESS SEE is Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Sarah Cobb. Cobb began producing her own demos in 2009 alone in her bedroom at night— honing her technique of crafting addictive, seductive melodies. Embracing lyrical influences—St. Vincent, Emily Haines, Carole King, and Garbage—ESS SEE delivers a heightened sense of vulnerability and intimacy in her songwriting. Her rich, often theatrical, live performances engage audiences with eye-popping costumes, humor, and an electric presence. Her debut EP, “Ordinary Woman” was released in 2017, and her first full length album produced by Julie Kathryn of “I Am Snow Angel” will be available in 2019.

Today, she’s back with the release of her new 80s Nostalgic driven music video for the awesome single “Fast Cheap Easy” and we are pleased to premiere it! - Vents Magazine

ESS SEE and Julie Kathryn of “I Am Snow Angel” have teamed up to produce “Fast Cheap Easy,” ESS SEE’s first single since her debut EP, “Ordinary Woman” (released in 2017.) The song has already been featured by NPR in their “Desks of the 2018 Tiny Desk Contest” video and will be officially released on all streaming platforms TOMORROW June 29, 2018, but HEY we got it a day ahead. - Girl Gang Music

Really sultry, sensual yet slightly raw edged pop here from Brooklyn’s ESS SEE on her debut single, Touch Me. Kind of like BANKS raised on Nirvana or Sonic Youth, whilst still harbouring some of the knack for finding a killer hook. Check it below.

Like this? Follow our On Repeat Playlist for a handpicked selection of the very best in new music; updated weekly. - Crack In The Road

The sensual, warm and addictive vocals of ESS SEE will have you engrossed in this track from the word go. Seeping with desire, this debut stirs up all kinds of emotion.

The lingering beat throughout the first half of the record pulls you in. It’s the track’s backbone. The slow beat hangs on each note before making its way to the next. It demands a small bob in time from you and soon you’ll be letting go when the beat drops its hold, just to straighten up and start over.

This lingering beat brings the sense of attachment and not wanting to let go. It cleverly reflects what the track is all about. Being madly in love with one person; they are their world. Here’s the chorus:

“And when you touch me I feel everything
And when you touch me I feel love
When you touch me I know everything
And when you touch me I know love.”

Now for the vocals. They’re stunning. During the verses where she’s almost talking, beautifully moving across near notes, you really hear the sultry tone. She holds a little something back, but you know this voice has the capability of belting out. And then finally, we hear it.

As the track nears the end, it introduces an immense build to leave you needing more. The vocals become more powerful as she lets out more emotion. It’s a big crescendo with almost choir-like backing vocals added behind the chorus. And then it ends. Sudden. And you want it back.

This track has been uploaded for a month so it is thanks to the wonderful blog Crack In The Road that it’s popped up in HypeMachine and we’ve taken a listen. - HURD.

Meet Ess See, the sultry Brooklyn based singer songwriter, whose vibey pop music features bold vocals and genuine lyrics. “New Age” is a post-apocalyptic ballad that speaks to the fear of being alone. Ess See belts:

“I’d rather be empty than alone; At least then I still know that I’m someone”.

Normally, I’d interpret those lyrics as an ode to sticking around in a crappy relationship. However, after watching Black Mirror, it almost made me think about someone’s relationship to social media…

Well – however you interpret this powerful track, I hope you enjoy Ess See’s enchanting performance. Recorded live at Refuge Recording.

Ess See is slated to debut her mesmerizing new EP Ordinary Woman on January 13th. If you can’t wait till then, catch her at Rockwood Music Hall January 11th. - We Play Too Much

WHEN ESS SEE takes the stage at El-Rocko on Friday, she’ll be playing to a crowd she knows well.

The SCAD graphic design alum just dropped her debut album, Ordinary Woman, on January 13 and is bringing it back through her old stomping grounds.

“Coming back this way, I think, is gonna be really rewarding and really exciting,” she says.

“Savannah will forever be viewed as a place for me that’s full of creative freedom. As an 18-year-old kid I’d only heard such a small sampling of what I knew to be music and then I would spend nights out at the Jinx dancing until like four in the morning, listening to music I didn’t even know existed. And now a lot of that music feeds into the kind of vibes I want to create for people, the energy I want to create for people.”

Ess See, real name Sarah Cobb (get it?), graduated from SCAD in 2006, so Stopover wasn’t around while she was here. She found out about the festival visiting her best friend at the Rock n’ Roll Marathon last year.

“As soon as I heard that, I was like, yeah, I gotta get in on that,” she laughs.

Cobb was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, and living in a more conservative city only encouraged her creative side.

“Where I grew up, being a creative person was both difficult and really validating,” she says. “When you live in places where that’s not the main thing on people’s minds, there’s not a ton of art going around unless you really look for it. When you’re doing it anyway, it kind of drives you to find those places where you can push it further and further.”

The cultural transition from Little Rock to Savannah was eye-popping enough, so when Cobb got to New York, she realized she would need to stand out even more.

“In New York, being around [creativity] 24/7, you are your own limit,” she says. “The best way to stick out is to try to be yourself the most that you can. If you’re trying anything else that’s too gimmicky or not true to who you are, I feel like people sniff that out pretty quick. Consistently, the things that are most genuine I see people clinging to.”

Cobb never lets herself stray from her own genuine self. In writing Ordinary Woman, she doesn’t get caught up in writing what she thinks people would want to hear.

“I’m still in the phase where I’m finding my voice and I think I do have a little bit of an advantage of being a little bit older,” she muses.

“That gives you more confidence to be like, you know what, I’m gonna do what I want to do. I talk to a lot of musicians that say, ‘I spent so much of my life trying to make things that would sell. In writing all of this, I was like, I’m gonna write things that are important to me, stuff I either obsess about or have anxiety about and then I just kinda channel that into something groovy and poppy that I can sing and dance to and get a release from that. Let’s just dance to this and not worry about it right now.” - Connect

The eighth annual festival returns to Five Points Park with a focus on equality, art and music.
by: Nick Friedman Managing Editor of Arts and Culture

For the past seven years, the Harvey Milk Festival has used music and art to honor the legacy of Harvey Milk, one of America’s first openly gay politicians, who was assassinated in 1978. Each spring, Five Points Park transforms into a block party-style concert, featuring local, regional and national bands that embody the festival’s mission to promote equality and diversity.

We spoke with Anthony Paull, the festival’s lead programmer, about this year’s lineup, and to this year’s headliners about what equality means to them.


Magic Sword

From fashion to film — and especially music — the ’80s nostalgia train is full steam ahead. And with bands like Boisie, Idaho’s epic, enigmatic Magic Sword, it doesn’t matter if you weren’t around for the days of synthesizers, big hair and even bigger guitar solos.

Listening to one of their albums is like stepping into a sci-fi/fantasy VHS tape.

“I was thumbing through festivals, and I saw a video of them in Treefort’s lineup,” says Paull. “I immediately knew I wanted this band as our headliner. The reaction from the crowd, filled with glow stick wands and swords — this isn’t just a music act. This is a full-on theatrical performance and an amazing sandstorm of the musical climate we’re experiencing right now.”

Fans of Daft Punk will draw parallels to the band’s onstage personas, delivering ominous, pulsating synth lines and cinematic, over-the-top lead guitar — anonymously, shrouded in dark hoods and lighted masks. The musical comparison isn’t far off, either. Imagine Daft Punk and Giorgio Moroder scoring an episode of “Stranger Things.”

Through the albums and comic book art from artist Shay Plummer, the band tells the fantasy story of the Magic Sword, its eponymous weapon — one of infinite power left to be guarded by the mysterious band member, the synth player known as The Keeper. His counterpart, The Seer, provides the guitar work.
Spawned from a 10-day meditation retreat, Magic Sword’s members remain unknown, but rumors hint that members of Built to Spill, as well as Treefort Music Festival founder Eric Gilbert, are behind the project.
We asked the band to shed some light on its cryptic origins, sound and love for ’80s culture. Fittingly, its members left us as curious as we began.
“The story we are relaying is one that relies on both the visual graphic novel, as well as the soundscape that goes along with it,” says the Keeper. “It is an ageless hero’s journey at its core, a tradition seen back through many ages come and gone.”
On Harvey Milk Festival’s mission to promote equality, however, the band offered a (somewhat) more … earthly response.
“We are all beings born from the true source — reflections of the universe. The petty differences humans see is merely an imbalance within themselves.”
Rock on.

Ki: Theory

If you’re looking for a dark, electronic, rocking version of “Stand By Me,” Ki: Theory is your man. The alias of producer Joel Burleson, Ki: Theory has found his niche licensing his brooding, high-energy music for films and television.
Most recently, his cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” earned a slot as the official theme for the trailer of the Scarlett Johansson film, “Ghost in the Machine.”
“I’ve always been drawn to electronic production, even when I was making rock music,” says Burleson. “My music has a naturally cinematic vibe and emotional texture, which lends itself to television and pictures.”
As for his live show, Burleson says his roots are evident.
“It’s pretty intense,” he says. “People can expect high energy.”



Vita and the Woolf

Listening to Vita and the Woolf, one would never guess it’s a three-piece band. Thanks to singer Jennifer Pague’s booming, soulful voice, the Philadelphia-based act, recently named a must-see summer festival act by Billboard, packs a deceptively powerful punch.
“I was drawn to her voice right away,” says Paull. “It’s phenomenal. I think the immediate comparison is Florence + the Machine. There’s almost a grunge feel to it, but also a mellow, synth feel at other times.”
The band offers R&B and anthemic pop sensibilities.
The band’s name pays tribute to writer Virginia Woolf and her lover, Vita Sackville-West.
“She was an important feminist and a trailblazer,” says Pague. “This festival was a great fit — equality is our whole M.O.”



Astralis

Harvey Milk Festival Founder and Executive Director Shannon Fortner leads this five-piece band, lending her voice to the outfit’s mix of funky bass, spacey synthesizers and tight percussion.
“People who knew Shannon’s previous band, MeteorEYES, can expect a more mellow, beachy sound from Astralis,” says Paull.


Ess See

Sultry is the best way to describe Ess See’s music. The stage name of Brooklyn-based musician Sarah Cobb, Ess See brings pop-star sensibilities to her songs, founded in deep bass grooves that build to richly layered crescendos of breathy vocals, plucky guitar accents and driving drums.
Her five-track debut EP, “Ordinary Woman,” released this January, explores identity and individuality — all with undeniable danceability.
“Ess See was a last-minute find for us,” says Paull. “I saw her perform live, and she’s just a true pop star. She’s like a siren.”


FayRoy
Indian Rocks Beach-based FayRoy brings a smoother, psychedelic edge to the garage-rock genre. On its latest album, “Heaven at Twenty Seven,” lead singer Zack Hoag’s ethereal vocals bring depth to songs reminiscent of acts like The War on Drugs, Mac Demarco and fellow Floridians Roadkill Ghost Choir.


Sarah and the Safe Word

As their name might suggest, Sarah and the Safe Word aren’t afraid to get a little dark.
The four-piece Atlanta-based band brings a vaudevillian, gypsy air to the glory days of emo, combining violin, horns, acoustic and electric guitar to create an overall gothic appeal.
“There’s something haunting about their presence,” says Paull. “Sarah is a transgender female artist, which is exciting. It’s fun to listen to their sound evolve into this year’s album, ‘Strange Doings in the Night.’”



Wordsmith

Will Smith don’t gotta cuss in his rap to sell records. And neither does Wordsmith.
The Baltimore-based hip-hop artist has made it his mission to educate and entertain, using his music as a positive example, performing for inner-city middle school students and delivering anti-bullying lectures.


Tiger Fawn

Tiger Fawn, a loop artist from Orlando, blends elements of pop, shoegaze and experimental music. Paull says she brings musical diversity to the lineup.
“Tiger Fawn has a more experimental vibe than we’re used to at Harvey Milk,” he says. “We like artists willing to take chances and put themselves out there.”


TGTG

All those who wander are not lost. Take it from TGTG, a couple who has embraced the nomadic lifestyle, leaving their home and jobs in 2016 in favor of a life of music on the road.
Multi-instrumentalists, the couple kicks out dirty, punk-informed folk rock with a bit of an edge — and quirky song structures that keep audiences guessing.


IF YOU GO:

Harvey Milk Festival
When: May 11-13
Where: Music takes place from 2:20 p.m. to midnight in Five Points Park, Saturday, May 13
Tickets: Free
Info: For band schedule and other performances, visit HarveyMilkFestival.org.

Lesa Silvermore Band

Once a solo act, Sarasota’s Lesa Silvermore has added a full band to fill out her indie-pop, folk-blues songwriting. Her debut album, “Doppelgänger” is out this week. - Your Observer

ESS SEE shares her glorious electro-pop track with the world today in the video form of “Fast Cheap Easy”. Bringing down the house in the best possible way, the sultry and noteworthy song will have you dancing in no time. It’s been a little while since we’ve heard from the Brooklyn based artist, and we are glad to close out the year with he stunning new release...with hopefully more to come in the new year.


ESS SEE shares about the track:

"I've always been fascinated with how modern conveniences and excess impact our culture. TV dinners, fast food, fast fashion, 24 hour news, instantly updated feeds, and immediate access to information, do provide more freedom than ever before and a more even playing field. But... are we all becoming assholes in the process? I don't know. I don't think so? However, I do think it's important to stop and ask myself that question every now and then. I'd like this video to serve as a time capsule for these thoughts—shot vertically to view on your phone, all the products and associated brands tagged for your convenience, and for good measure, one super sexy dancer."

The video which is a true labor of love shows the essence of ESS SEE which will have listeners head over heels once again. Filled with dashes of 80's nostalgia, she comes to life in a whole new way. Gearing up to release her full length debut, in 2019, ESS SEE is on fire. Before the video is even finished you will be eagerly awaiting more from the artist.

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