““Ace’s High” is singer-songwriter Esbie Fonte’s “9 to 5,” a meditation on what lies beyond the mind-numbing tedium of an office job and the helpless feeling of being stuck in a merciless present. Or, as the songwriter puts it, “getting by on tomorrow.” ...she sings, chewing her words like a bored teenager chews gum but simmering with the resolve that she will be one who sees her dreams to the end.”

““Aces High,” features raw lyrical barbs coupled with gorgeous guitar progressions, and the brand-new video allows her stylish personality to shine. Precise enunciation and weary disposition mirror what one would expect from a musical style more aligned with pop-punk, but warm flamenco guitars subvert expectations. Fonte asks a lot in “Aces High,” with a deep bass line in the chorus reverberating in her chest.”

““Manumit” is a desperate cry for connection, a yearning for a hand to reach down and pull one’s soul out of the blackest reaches of depression... Matching the dismal tone of the lyrics, Fonte’s haunted vocals drive the point home, ringing out a minor key melody above staccato guitar and electronic bell tones. One can hope that the song also functions, as the title suggests, as a cathartic release of the darkness that can envelop us.”

“Move too fast and you might miss it. Like a stunning sunset reflected in a rain puddle, you may miss the beauty in Esbie Fonte’s “Pools” if you aren’t paying attention. If you aren’t keeping your eyes and heart open to the tender voice singing to you from the other side of the water.
So slow down this Friday. Breathe deep and soak this in. The weekend will come soon enough. For right now there is “Pools.””