By Davis Blount
Jenessa Smith, better known by her moniker Goldmyth, has been a staple of the Provo music scene for years. A perennial staple at Les Femmes de Velour, the harpist, singer, and producer has seen her influence and visibility grow recently, having the opportunity to perform alongside acts like Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, and Muna. Goldmyth’s music has also made its way onto shows like HBO’s The Sex Life of College Girls and Showtime’s I Love That For You. While the future looks bright for Goldmyth, the artist’s current offerings provide plenty to explore and enjoy.
Faded Dream, an EP released in 2017, is a 5-song exploration into the world of music that Goldmyth creates. Produced by Nate Pyfer and Mason Porter, listeners can hear the artist fully in her own element, blending seemingly incongruent instruments and orchestration into a unified whole. While listening to the tracks, comparisons spring to mind, but none seem to do the artist or the EP much justice. The addition of harp to contemporary pop is reminiscent of early Florence + the Machine; Smith’s vocals sometimes feel akin to Lindsey Jordan, lead singer of Snail Mail; and the artist’s sacred language to describe the everyday (like in the track “Holy Rope”) remind one of Sufjan Stevens or Bly Wallentine. This album, and Goldmyth’s creative output as a whole, is far more than the sum of its parts. To be properly enjoyed, listeners ought to set aside the comparisons and enjoy this for what it is: refreshingly unique.
While the EP is packed with memorable tracks, “Lover’s Letdown” stands above the rest – a fun, pulsating song with lyrics that detail the excruciating discomfort of knowing a relationship has reached its end. A sense of unresolved tension lingers in the air, as Smith pleads to be “let down easy,” tapping into the familiar sting of knowing that a relationship has become unwieldy in its one-sidedness. These feelings are best summed up in the second verse, where Smith sings:
“Wearing the face of what we’ve known,
Running in place so we don’t feel alone.
We could probably talk around it, and hope it’s left unsaid
Even if we live without it, the fire still gets fed.”
The feelings described in “Lover’s Letdown” wouldn’t normally feel at home in a synth-driven anthem, but here they are. While those experiencing recent breakups may not feel ready to hit the clubs, Goldmyth has now made it possible to hit the dancefloor while staying solidly in one’s own feelings. Who said you had to choose between ugly crying and getting out on the dancefloor?
It is hard to find much wrong on an EP that offers so much in so little time. From start to finish, Faded Dream is a cohesive sonic experience that takes listeners on a deeply intimate journey through some of life’s less talked about experiences and feelings. As Goldmyth has begun recently releasing new singles and teased the idea of an upcoming debut album, one can only hope that Smith and her bandmates will continue to grow their sound, experimenting with new creative outlets while staying true to the sound that makes this EP so memorable.
The future looks bright for Goldmyth, and Provo Music Mag can’t wait to see where Smith’s talent leads her. In the meantime, we are happy to keep Faded Dream on repeat and let Smith’s serenading be the soundtrack to our quiet contemplation, our dance parties for one, and our main character moments where we stare solemnly out the window to watch the rain. For updates on when Goldmyth’s new music drops, be sure to follow @goldmyth on Instagram. You can listen to “Lover’s Letdown” below!
Provo Music Magazine 