The Layered Familiarity of Ruel’s ‘Bright Lights, Red Eyes’

Taking its name from the lyrics of his pre-released track “as long as you care,” “Bright Lights, Red Eyes” is Ruel’s third EP, following in the wake of earlier well-known radio singles like “Dazed and Confused” and “Painkiller.” At the age of 18, his tone already holds an impressive maturity, perhaps best described as a cross between Troye Sivan’s enveloping ephemerality and Shawn Mendes’ raw directness. Combined with his classic, introspective charm, it’s easy to be a fan of the British-Australian singer — if he isn’t quite an established name in the industry yet, it doesn’t seem to be far off in his future.

Across all five songs in the EP, the openings are carefully and consistently crafted — intros composed of short, simple instrumentals allow Ruel’s voice to take on an honest, distinctive clarity, building a sense of sincerity through the melody before the beat kicks in. There are also significant improvements in his songwriting: From the vague “somethin’ bout you”s in his breakthrough “Dazed and Confused” to the intricate details of “wet paper on the doorstep, rainin’ all night” in the songs here, there is a much more atmospheric, storied quality to his current trajectory. In particular, the first few lines of “as long as you care” are unconventional, lyrical, and lovely: “I’m sundried, my lips are high on overdrive.” They set the tone for the EP — one of reflective solitude and tired resignation towards love, caught in the space between past memories and future promises.

The third song, “courage,” which Ruel pairs with a filtered, retro-hued visualizer, stands out as a gem in the middle of the EP. Underlaid with chords that recall “Painkiller” on his previous EP “Free Time,” the melody offers a balance between warm familiarity and refreshing authenticity. Its final repetition of “if I try again,” sung in an unexpected falsetto near the end, holds a raw immediacy, with echoes of a chorus and synth reverbs interspersed to create an immersive dimensionality throughout.

Credit is also owed to Ruel’s producer, M-Phazes, who lends to the project the experience that Ruel doesn’t have alone — resulting in mature, complex songs that set him apart from other up-and-coming young pop artists. Having worked with big industry names like Demi Lovato, Kehlani, and Eminem, there is a nuanced, layered richness to M-Phazes’ production: “Bright Lights” displays clear influences of genres like R&B and soul in the percussion style and perfectly executed runs of “say it over,” while “up to something” takes on a more EDM sound.

Yet even as consecutive listens to the EP as a whole bring out endearing nuances and quirks, the songs admittedly begin to blend into one another, and it’s unclear whether their order curates any distinctive narrative listeners can’t get from playing them on shuffle. Despite the warm, comforting familiarity of Ruel’s mellow synth tones, one begins to wish for a bit more edge. While avoiding the overly heavy, formulaic beats of his past singles, Ruel’s repeated portrayals of one-sided relationships begin to exhibit a frustrating passivity, without adding any new perspectives. Through adjectives like “bright” and “red,” the very title of the EP implies an intensity that doesn’t quite manifest, lost in the crooning softness.

As his lyrics yearn for a lover just out of physical or temporal reach, the listener can’t help but feel the same sense of expectancy, only to be left without closure once the refrain of “up to something” finally fades away. But of course, Ruel still has so much time to develop towards his potential as an artist. Having established a strong, original sound through all these EPs, it will be interesting to wait for the direction he takes in a full album — and in the meantime, he’ll keep us watching and listening to the bright lights.