Sophia Kaloustian exorcises the demons of her previous relationships on her captivating and heartfelt new EP Conclusions of Grandeur
The release of her debut EP Conclusions of Grandeur feels like an exercise in catharsis for exciting rising pop artist Sophia Kaloustian, a collection of tracks that take an introspective deep dive into her past relationships and the ways that they have impacted her and left lasting imprints on her life, making for some truly resonating and memorable moments.
The album’s introduction comes in the form of the delicate ‘the absence of them all (dream)’, an short but inviting track that sets the tone for the journey that lies ahead before giving way to ‘slow dancing, slow destruction’ a track that flits between being an alluring soft pop song and something altogether more hard-hitting and impactful, juxtaposing the good times and bad times in a relationship through a fragmenting sound that feels as captivating sonically as it is immersive and powerful lyrically.
The way that the artist unpacks the issues and problems in these situations in such intimate and articulate fashion makes for these really authentic-feeling and raw tracks and situations that feel like they’re unfolding right before your eyes. ‘Atmosphere’ is a track that explores a co-dependent relationship that feels all-consuming, with the metaphor of being planets revolving around each other in space making for a really powerful image. The track also delves into the guilt and self-doubt that comes with ending a relationship that feels so intense and full on, and makes for some heartbreaking moments that will resonate with listeners on a profound level.
‘Used To Breathe’ explores the familiar feeling of not even missing the relationship that you were in before, but missing having things to fill up the times and spaces that now feel empty as a result. It is explored how being with somebody can feel like second nature when you’ve been doing it for so long that it just becomes the norm. The hangover that follows a relationship, and the weekends where you feel lost and not sure what you did before you were together give you too much time to spend alone and think, but the artist juxtaposes these thoughts and feelings with a really fun and vibrant soundscape that makes for a really engrossing listening experience.
The piano-balladry of ‘the line’ follows, allowing the strength of the artist’s vocals and lyrics to take centre stage with no kinds of distractions or places to hide, and it makes for some of the most unforgettable and powerful moments on the EP. The heartbreaking “why doesn’t he want me?” provides an emotional gut-punch that is it accentuated by the anguish in the delivery, and makes for the latest reminder of the star quality that exudes from Sophia Kaloustian.
There is a bit more of a bitter feel to the following track ‘best intentions’, a track that sees the artist calling out her ex following the breakup, making for these really all-encompassing moments of catharsis and bouts of emotional release that feel all-consuming and completely transfixing. This track feels like the artist completely letting go and getting everything off her chest, unfolding in a slow-burning manner that sees the intensity escalate and escalate until it reaches its breaking point.
The intimate and soft ‘Graveyard’ finds Sophie in a more pensive mood, exploring the feelings of grief that come with the loss of love and seeing her continuing to articulate her feelings in the succinct and captivating way that she does. The writing on this EP is something that stands out from the majority of releases that you will have heard so far in 2025 and probably for the rest of it, with the little things and intricacies that come with breakups and the feelings and unique experiences that often go unspoken explored with such clarity and composure.
The EP closes out with its title track ‘conclusions of grandeur’, a definitive stamp on both the collection of tracks and the relationship, and one that provides a full circle moment as the artist recaptures the magic that it feels like she had lost at the start of the album on its opening track. Conclusions of Grandeur feels like something of an exorcism for this relationship for Sophia, a really vivid and painstakingly detailed exploration of how it deteriorated that the artist needed to go through in order to detach herself from it. The emotional weight of the tracks and the way that the artist pulls you into her story and captivates you makes for a listening experience that will stick with you for a long time, whether you can relate to some of the more universal sentiments of not, and is without a doubt one of my favourite and most memorable releases of 2025 so far.
