"Even NASA Loses Satellites": an enticing space-inspired pop EP from Devon Michael.

Germinating out of astronomic curiosity, "Even NASA Loses Satellites" is a heartwarming EP from the emergent singer-songwriter Devon Michael. The project marks her attempt to step outside the comfort zone— both as a creative and a person— unperturbed by the risks of making mistakes or feeling astray. This forms the crux for the carefree, upbeat tracks included, vouching that life is far from a straightforward journey, and that's perfectly fine.

This EP collates the previous singles released since last year— the nascent discography from the American moniker so far holds substantial promise. Her efforts have already reached the broader audience, including the tender piano-laden interpretation of The Killers' searing classic "When You Were Young," which found its spot on the ESPN documentary "Decade of Dominance" (after receiving direct approval from the iconic band). Apart from rendering a memorable acoustic cover, she has also taken direct involvement in audio production and songwriting aspects of her releases, including this project.

Devon's musical trademark has an amiable tonality, if not easy on the ears. In the initial couple of minutes, "Retrograde" opens the EP in a radiant sequence: jovial guitar licks, chunky bassline, and sugary vocals converge in an 80s-inspired dance-pop number. The songstress makes a subtle dig at sheepishly blaming planetary motions for feeling stuck in life; the truth being quite the opposite. The sophomore "Airplane Mode" focuses on the agony of seeing a loved one move on post-breakup, featuring a frolicking pop beat sprinkled with brisk vocal chops and a driven ensemble. 

Inspired by her real-life relationship, "Distance" testifies about the established adage— that, indeed, the heart can grow fonder when separated (the chorus repeating "Distance won't make me distant from you"). The sparse cadence contains bittersweet piano chords, layered and resonating vocals guiding the minimal groove. Lustrous synths accompany the sequential "Jedi Mind Tricks," a lightweight, frivolous romantic song about falling in love with a Star Wars fanatic.

"Amateur Astronomer" is about dispelling all regret while in pursuit of heart's desire and self-intuition, the song aligning a mellow backbeat alongside words of encouragement from the vocalist ("We've been crashing from the start//But the fall's my favorite part//Making good mistakes and bad art"). Previously unreleased "When I Found You" revels in finding love after a lonesome existence, a melodic tune with interstellar imagery creatively adorning the feel-good lyricism.

Listen to "Even Nasa Loses Satellites" on Spotify, and stay tuned with Devon Michael on Instagram.