Music is transformative, whether in love, in life, or in loss. Music is a way to deal with these emotionally complex feelings, especially when they happen at the same time. keshi’s sophomore album “Requiem” released on September 13 and is dedicated to his late friend. The album name references a classical music term for songs that are played at funerals, and the track list highlights those themes of loss and grief in life. With beautiful melodies and lyrics, keshi wrestles with love and loss in a way that touches the heart, so here are six out of 13 songs that are gut-wrenchingly ethereal in their own way.

“Say”
“Say the word
I know what you’re thinking, but just say it first
Been waiting all this time for you to take your turn
In my arms for a second
Baby, say the word, and I’ll be yours”

The flutter of butterflies, the hopeful tension, it’s all there at that moment. “Say” is a lyrical piece that resonates with his past album and EPs, yet keshi gives the song an upbeat tone that brings the listener to a place of happiness and simplicity. A fun, dance-able song with endearing and sweet lyrics makes “Say” a ray of sun in the midst of the rain.

“Night”
“Terrified
I kill all the parts of me to stay alive
Do or die, it’s all or nothin’
Runnin’ out of time
I’ve been out my mind
I can’t pay the price”

Being famous isn’t all glitz and glamour, but sometimes it’s a pressure that weighs on you until it becomes too heavy to carry. keshi pours his heart out in “Night,” detailing his qualms about the pressures of being under the spotlight. His expressive lyrics are paired with a backtrack that gives the listener a sense of urgency, with haunting string melodies that will run chills down your spine.

“Soft Spot”
“Don’t like anybody, tell me why it’s different with you
Don’t believe in love, but no one makes me feel like you do
I don’t say it much, ’cause I just always thought that you knew”

“Soft Spot” centers around a love that is one of a kind, a love that makes someone give it their all, a love that has the power to alter your view on it altogether. The song’s beats and instrumentals are reminiscent of warm autumn breezes and soft hoodies —reminiscent of a fervent romance. keshi sings about finding that one person that makes you willing to open your heart again, despite the hurt and trauma it’s been through. It’s an anthem for a new beginning that will heal your heart.

“Dream”
“She’s a dream, the best thing to happen to me
She’s a dream, all that I thought it could be
She’s a dream come true
But I have nightmares it should’ve been you, you, you”

Much like the namesake, the vibes of the song are truly ethereal and dreamy, like floating on a cloud, which makes the contrast to the lyrics all the more apparent. Dreams and nightmares, one you want to live in and one you don’t. That nightmare, for keshi, is that his love is thinking about someone else. The acoustics in the song highlights this nightmare, this stabbing in the heart, this feeling that keshi expresses so explicitly.

“War”
“Since you wanna go to war
Let’s see who hurts the other more
You always got something you wanna prove
And I’ve got nothing left to lose”

Fights are inevitable, but what happens when you’re the only one desperately trying to mend the relationship? With a staggering drum beat, keshi portrays the feeling of inward anxiety and not wanting to be hurt over a crumbling relationship. His vocals shine through in a falsetto, proving his hypnotic ability to illustrate even the most tormenting moments of life.

“Bodies”
“I take it you’re leaving
This never gets easier for me
I’ll miss how you promised me the world, and I believed it”

Both physically and metaphorically, you can’t fight a war without the casualties—the bodies. There comes a time where it becomes so calamitous that it ends for good. In “Bodies,” keshi illustrates the aftermath of a relationship when that war is lost. Directly paralleling “War,” it details that finality and that heartbreak, where you have to relinquish that hope. The pop-rock instrumentals back up lyrics that are both vulnerable and poignant.

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With songs that interweave themes of life, love, and loss, “Requiem” is an album of complexity that deals with different experiences of what it’s like to be human. keshi manages to recreate the feeling of starting anew, yet at the same time, the feeling of being the one to hold everything together. This album is a mix of love and loss, joy and grief, one that makes you feel every emotion in the core of your heart.