Album Review with Alex: The Turning Wheel

Chrystia Cabral is an Oakland–based musician who does not shy away from experimenting with her sound and image.

Under her stage name “Spellling,” she has released three full-length albums along with two EPs, all of which blend genres including pop, soul, R&B and techno to create her unique sound.

“The Turning Wheel,” released on June 25, 2021, is no exception to Cabral’s experimental tendencies, as pop music elements are presented throughout and met with darker indie rock sounds near the middle of the album.

The lighter instrumentation and breathy, whisper-like vocals of Cabral take a turn at this point as well as the themes presented, as the album moves from themes of nature and animals to themes of loss and desires to be remembered. The album moves away from piano, strings and brass to darker instrumentation of foreboding synths and electric guitar. Cabral revisits them again in the closing moments of the album, tying together its dreamy and mythical sounds and themes

Tracks such as the opening “Little Dear” and the following “Always” give an encompassing representation of the sounds and ideas presented at the first half of the album and immediately stand out even on the first listen. Meanwhile, tracks after the turning point of the album such as “Boys at School” and “Legacy” demonstrate not only the range of Cabral’s vocal performance but the range of experimental ideas coupled with a great blend of instrument choice.

“The Turning Wheel” immediately grasped me upon my first listen and has been on repeat for the better part of the summer. The album presents a kaleidoscope of sounds and emotions and is a fantastic listen for both casual and critical listeners.

Check out Spelling’s “The Turning Wheel.”