EP Review: Little House by Rachel Chinouriri

“I know Judas famously was someone who betrayed Jesus in the Bible, however, I wanted to speak about Judas in the way of me betraying myself to fall in love with Isaac”  this is what the artist, Rachel Chinouriri, had to say about Track three “Judas” on her recent EP, “little house” but, let’s start at the beginning. 

The newly released EP “Little House” by Rachel Chinouriri is a beautiful exploration into the artist falling in love. Her discography is full of her experiences, her struggles, her fears, and everything in between, but this EP felt like a new step. An admirable departure from the distraught and trauma of her second recent body of work, What a Devastating Turn of Events from last year. Even with only four tracks, Rachel Chinouriri makes us feel like we're experiencing the highs and lows of new love, like we’re the ones falling in love. In her introduction to the EP on Soundcloud, she said that her vision for creating this EP was born from an older, now revised, dream of living alone in a little house with lots of land and animals. But ever since she met her current partner, she realized that he made her vision “feel very complete”, and her dream now includes him.

The first track, aptly named “Can we talk about Isaac?” after her partner, captures the joy of a new love. The song begins with a happy and upbeat tone, with an almost childlike innocence to the way she sings about Isaac. The words feel like a confessional, an excited outpouring of emotions universally associated with the early stages of love. Her voice is uplifting, and everything feels bright and full of potential. As the song progresses, there is some slight apprehension that creeps in. Vulnerability has broken through. 

This moment of tension emerges from a fear of the unknown. Chinouriri reflects that they come from a place of trauma, saying that she “never felt protected really in my life, especially from men” in her interview with Genius. Yet, the wonder of new love and excitement takes over again towards the end of the song, with hope leading the way. Where will vulnerability take her, and take this new love?

Following this is “23:42”, a smooth, funky track that pulses with joy, playfulness, and the electric thrill of falling in love. The song celebrates the playfulness of romance, especially the first blossoms, with its infectious bassline and the sense of freedom that comes when you’re no longer afraid to embrace feelings and love. With the chorus’ “But if you wanted my attention/ Well, alright, well, alright/ I’m all in, no hesitation”, Chinouriri almost grabs the listener to join her on cloud nine. 

Vulnerability doesn’t feel overwhelming anymore; it feels like a natural unwrapping, a natural blooming. It seems like she’s finally allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of being in love without the weight of previous emotional baggage. As Chinouriri opens up to the idea of love, she’s not just falling for Isaac but also allowing herself to be vulnerable in a way that feels both empowering and freeing. The balance between fun and vulnerability gives the song an authenticity that’s hard to ignore, making it easy to relate to anyone who has ever let their guard down and embraced the joy of love without reservation despite so much fear. The track is a sonic snapshot of the moment when you finally realize that love doesn’t have to be complicated or hard, at least not anymore.

“Judas” takes a haunting turn from the cheerful, positive tones of the previous two tracks. The melancholic exploration of vulnerability and fear exposes the complicated journey of falling in love. It wasn’t the Disney fairytale we thought it was with the previous two tracks. While the title’s reference to Judas points to betrayal, Chinouriri flips our expectations on their head to sing about self-betrayal, pulling us into her emotional landscape where opening up to love may feel like you’re sacrificing a part of yourself in the process. 

This isn’t a song of clear-cut joy or triumph. It’s about those uncomfortable moments when you have to face your own fears and doubts and insecurities and trauma to make something work. Because you know it is worth it. When Chinouriri’s vocals, and we’re left with the instrumental, it feels like you’re standing with her on the edge of a deep and unknown abyss, all while the echo of space surrounds you both. You can feel her fear of falling, but the echo reminds us we can only resolve it by taking that leap. The outro provides some glimmer of resolution. She gave herself over to love despite her fears, but there is no regret. Not at all.

The finale “Indigo” is a love letter with a near ecstatic melody and sentimental lyrics, capturing the essence of a relationship that feels as transformative as it is rhapsodic. While the song leans heavily into the melancholy initially, it evolves into something more euphoric as it unfolds, mirroring Chinouriri’s journey of love, filled with tender memories and the deep vulnerability that comes with truly letting go of fear and falling for someone. The opening verse sets the tone beautifully, drawing listeners into a moment of shared intimacy described in almost cinematic detail with how she cherishes it deeply.

The production feels dreamy and atmospheric, filled with lush, ambient textures that echo Chinouriri’s melancholic yet nostalgic sentiment. The turning point is when Chinouriri sings, “I learnt to love you by letting go/ You taught me something I didn’t know.” She reveals the emotional crux of both the song and her process to love: the vulnerability that love demands, and the growth that comes with it. 

By the outro, there is a noticeable shift. The gentle melody is bolstered with an euphoric joy that lifts, almost like the song itself is growing into the euphoria that Chinouriri feels when she’s with Isaac. There’s a sense of awe here, as she recognizes that love came to her when she least expected it, yet it feels undeniably right. It’s a moment of self-doubt, but it quickly gives way to gratitude and acceptance. Maybe fate dictates love by simply letting it unfold naturally, in its own time, by its own right. 

In the EP’s introduction on Soundcloud, Chinouriri said that she realized upon meeting her partner that her previously not wanting a partner was her “protecting herself from future pain”. But meeting Issac “fixed a very heartbroken girl” and she has bloomed into a “not so heartbroken woman”. The EP not only takes us on this journey but encapsulates us in every beautiful and bittersweet moment that comes with learning to let yourself love and be loved.

May we all become not so heartbroken people, even if it’s not instantly.