Like the body renewing itself, shedding old cells to make way for the new, artists must reinvent themselves to grow. Oakland artist Chrystia Cabral, who records under the name SPELLLING, has undergone yet another transformation with her fourth album, Portrait of My Heart.
Cabral stepped out of the ghostly avant-pop mysticism of her previous album The Turning Wheel and into something more direct, urgent, yet no less spellbinding. The more experimental underpinnings remain, but here, they’re subtly woven into the background, supporting an album with sharper edges and a stronger pulse that leans heavily into 90s rock grandeur (think Smashing Pumpkins) and unrestrained emotionality. This is a work of reinvention, but not one of erasure. Skin might glisten differently, yet the bones endure.
From its opening moments, Portrait of My Heart feels striking and luminous, built on lush instrumentation and an aching sense of drama. The title track is the album’s beating heart: a towering anthem with a powerful bass line and cascading strings that climb towards a chorus so infectious it feels inevitable. Although each song is a world of its own, together they move in coherence, forming a whole that feels a bit like stepping into a fantasy.
‘Keep It Alive’ leads with bold guitar textures, but listen closer as beneath the surface, layers unfurl like hidden doors, revealing the true profundity of its construction. ‘Destiny Arrives’ drips with 90s nostalgia, as Cabral’s voice smoothly moves from a grounded, resonant depth to feather-light highs. This balance between heft and delicacy defines the album, making it feel both visceral and fragile. Then, ‘Ammunition’ takes a jazzier, moodier turn, with its smoky piano leading the way into a song that feels like a love spell being cast.
Yet Portrait of My Heart isn’t all shimmer and softness. It knows when to descend, too, and when to let the madness creep in. ‘Drain’ takes that turn at around the three-minute mark, unexpectedly plunging into thick, sludgy chaos featuring Zulu’s Braxton Marcellous on guitar, pulling it deeper. Then ‘Satisfaction’ continues the unravelling, as a distorted guitar crashes into the mix and drags SPELLLING into a heavier, rawer sound. These moments serve as reminders that transformation isn’t always gentle — it can be violent, necessary, and euphoric.
What makes the record so remarkable is how effortlessly it balances complexity with accessibility, mystery with directness. There are hooks for days, yet the real magic lies in how it blooms, layer by layer, on each listen. Drum-centric but never overpowering, rich with melody and texture, Portrait of My Heart rewards surrender and attention equally. Chrystia Cabral has always sung in colours and here they might be brighter, deeper, more oversaturated than ever. This is music to walk into, a realm where one can dissolve into sound. Press play and start dreaming: Portrait of My Heart wears itself fearlessly, with its heart, as always, on its sleeve.
Stream Portrait of My Heart on Spotify.
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