Noel Aponte – Bittersweet
Noel Aponte is a singer-songwriter/producer who goes on to show his musical chops with his most recent EP Bittersweet. While currently based in North Carolina, he was born in Puerto Rico and lived on the island until the age of 15. He grew up in a very musical household and from an early age, he was encouraged to study music. Soon, Aponte was listening to anything and everything he could his hands on, which went on to inform his eclectic taste in music.
During Covid, Aponte used the time to focus on his music. During that time, he found a new friend in Isaac Luther and the two immediately began collaborating and sharing tips with one another. Aponte was even featured on one of Luther’s songs, “Through The Wall.” The track became a smash hit on Spotify, with over 500,000 plays.
The song put Aponte on the map and it was the exact boost he needed to make his own music. After a couple of singles, Aponte released his debut EP Bittersweet, which contains an amalgamation of genres from electronic, indie rock, dream pop, R&B, alt pop and more!
But it’s Aponte’s unique vocals that are front-and-center here. I couldn’t get enough of it and I’m sure you’ll feel the same too.
Bittersweet opens up with “I’ll be dancing,” where some synths that remind me of the ‘80s arrive for a searing sound. Next, Aponte’s distorted vocals come in. The glitchy beats supporting him sound very compelling. I enjoyed the dreamy vibes of this dream pop track. This song had a nice ebb and flow to it and I definitely felt carried away by the music. Aponte’s emotionally powerful vocals come in on “Fleeting Love” alongside some sparse electric guitar riffs. After that, some heavy synths and electronic beats come in for a great dance appeal. I enjoyed the dance-worthy vibes, which I thought were great. I thought this would be a great summer anthem with its poppy beats and mellow energy. On the mellow “Serene(Interlude),” I loved the laidback vibes. I thought Aponte sounds very smooth and cool here. There was a touch of jazz to the keys here, which I thought was great. The only thing was that I wished the track could’ve lasted longer.
Some stripped back guitars sound out on “Still Love You.” The simply rendered sounds are then joined by synths for a dynamic vibe. Loving the absolute ambience of this track. After some beats, Aponte’s smooth vocals come in. I was loving this R&B track that reminded me a lot of Khalid. The mellow vibes really spoke to me. A lovely melody comes from the keys on the intro of “I don’t see you in my Dreams.” Aponte’s wonderful vocals come in for a captivating vibe. I felt myself being lulled by the great R&B music. This proved to be a dynamic closer from the artist.
Right when I hit play, Aponte’s dreamy sounds surround me for an all-encompassing sound. I felt immersed in his atmospheric and dream-like soundscapes that captivate with synths, beats and more for a lovely sound. I liked the fact that Aponte takes command in these tracks and the way he commandeers his vocals to make for a multi-layered sound. All in all, this was a good introduction to the artist’s sound. At 18 years old, Aponte’s musical journey is only beginning. Hopefully, there will be more wonderful things to come from this. 7/10
By My Ngugen