Written by Aly Maaño Malaybalay, Bukidnon, dubbed as the South Summer Capital of the Philippines, is a city nestled between lush mountains and picturesque landscapes. These lands, which birthed forests and historical parks, are also home to emerging artists like Aleeza Dawn Ellevera. Calling herself enfloeia for this musical project, the 19-year-old fuses indie, pop, jazz, and alternative sensibilities to create songs that seem to be taken straight from her diary. After releasing her first single in 2024, enfloeia carefully planted the seeds to bring “Saturnine Pursuits” into full bloom. Each song in this six-track EP is like a flower petal pressed into the pages of a journal—its unique shape and desaturated color bleeding through the thin paper, revealing dark secrets and confessions. Starting with the track “Going in reverse,” enfloeia lets us pry into her thoughts through cellophane drums and guitars and lyrics that mark the “x” in existential. It’s an upbeat starter with melodies that careen playfully into the pre-chorus and build to the hook. After the sprightly listen, we are greeted with somber keys of “to…,” the artist’s debut single. In contrast to the first track, “to…” eases us into euphonious jazz-pop rhythms and vocals that carry a wistful undertone. “FROGCRUSHER!” is possibly one of the best tracks in the entire project. Here, enfloeia’s aptness for writing poetry shone the most. The lyrics are dark, brooding, and morose—the kind that makes you wish you wrote them yourself. In between ambient nature sounds, soft ukulele strums, abrupt violin tremolos, and frogs being crushed, enfloeia’s haunting vocals distort into overlays and harmonies that add a theatrical element to the song. If you listen closely, a part of the previous song’s melody is hidden in “FROGCRUSHER!’s” bridge, where enfloeia’s overlapping voices can be heard, figuratively illustrating the human tendency to push people away despite craving meaningful connection. The shorter tracks of the EP, “you/have,” and “Poor Dreamer,” share similar structures but carry different emotional depths. “you/have” expresses feelings of jealousy towards a partner for having the privileges of being a man, while “Poor Dreamer” is a peronal anecdote on the frustrations of being discouraged from pursuing what you’re passionate about. Even with the minimalist approach to instrumentation, enfloeia tugs on the listener’s heartstrings at every transition until the very end. In a full-circle moment, “In Pursuit of Greatness” brings us back to the beginning of this saturnine ode—in a frantic and confused state. Being at wit’s end, enfloeia further showcases her vocal prowess and versatility as she belts the chorus, a signature formula in the opening track. As it ends, the repeating line “I’ve become so saturnine…” echoes like the voice in your head you’ve been accustomed to hearing and accepted as a part of you. A testament to her commitment to music, “Saturnine Pursuits” is enfloeia’s attempt to remind us and herself that sitting with the discomfort and uncertainty of it all is part of the process. With this EP as a starting point, it’s exciting to know how she will continue to turn her garden of woes into a kaleidoscopic flowerfield. And if there’s one thing about enfloeia’s style, it’s the way she delivers lyrics that hit at the right moment. Through hushed verses and belted choruses, enfloeia evokes strong feelings that ponder on self-worth and the struggles of being a young musician. Support the art & the artist: