Sophia Eleftheria’s debut EP, progressions, is a raw and emotional picture of a young artist progressing steadily from one stage of life to the next. Soundtracked by ghostly and minimalist alt-R&B production, the 19-year-old Toronto singer/producer’s agile and delicate tones are at the forefront of the mix, breezing through jazzy vocal runs and key changes.

The spacey, non-disruptive space of Eleftheria’s instrumentals allow her to play loosely with the rhythms, allowing for free-flowing expression and a sense of genuine emotional weight to shine through. The songs are also, for the most part, very short, ratcheting up the authenticity even further as the tracks begin to resemble a cathartic outpouring of Eleftheria’s immediate thoughts in the aftermath of a frustrating event or conversation. On the track “motivation,” she sings about finding the spark to discover and pursue life paths that she loves without getting lost in the tiresome shuffle of just about everything else, while on “333” she tackles self-image issues and their ties to feeling inspired.

It would be easy to guess Eleftheria is from Toronto as the project fits right in with the city’s popularized alt-R&B sound, complete with its laid-back and slowly-strummed guitar chords, highly impressive vocal runs, and emphasis on harmony that would make any OVO Sound member proud. There’s even a “slowed and reverb” version of the album’s opening track. In any case, Eleftheria’s vocal talent and confessional lyricism make her one to watch.

Best Track: “loving”