Singer/Songwriter, Isabella Amarga, has been releasing alternative-pop singles for a year now. Amarga’s debut album, Confinement, produced by Lefthandluck, was worth wait. Containing ten songs, Confinement is a setting free of years of dark experiences and heavy emotion poured into one carefully cultivated album. In her own words she describes the project, “To me the album symbolizes a release of emotion that was once confined and never revealed, hence the name Confinement.”
The album starts off with “Promises,” a classic Amarga track which showcases her haunting and distinctive vocals paired with understated instrumentals. ”Promises “sets the mood for the entire project, with its narrative of a dysfunctional relationship and mutual destruction:
“Promises are worth nothing, if we don’t keep them/ keep me safe, we’re both worthless when we’re not breathing”
Confinement maintains a dreamy and moody cadence with tracks such as “Align” that explore an overwhelming sense hopelessness and the search to makes sense of one’s experiences; “I’m not naive, I just need something to believe in.” About half way through the album the tempo changes dramatically with “Girls” and “Wish” in which Amarga displays her versatility as an artist. The album ends strongly with “Your Monster,” which ties together the many themes of Confinement — love and destruction become one of the same in the eerie track.
Each song in Confinement tells it’s own story and offers a glimpse into Amarga’s struggle for meaning. Collectively, the album offers release through letting go of one’s demons, to share the parts of yourself that you so carefully have hidden in the past. Amarga explains, “To my fans, I hope it shows them that you can go through hell and back but still come out feeling like you have a purpose.” Confinement is a stunning project that will echo in the listener’s head and linger in their heart.