UMI – Forest in the City

Review

UMI’s “Forest in the City” feels like stepping barefoot into a quiet park tucked inside a bustling city—you can still hear the hum of the streets, but the air suddenly feels gentler. From the first notes of “hello hi,” her voice wraps around you like a whisper of calm, and by the time “say im ur luv” rolls around, it’s hard not to melt into her soft, honeyed tone. The mix of R&B warmth, earthy neo-soul grooves, and those tiny electronic sparkles gives the album this delicate balance between grounded and dreamlike. It’s not flashy—it just breathes, honest and slow, like someone finally exhaling after holding it in.

What gets me is how tender the whole thing feels. In songs like “synergy” and “moonlit room,” there’s that sense of being quietly seen, even in your messiest moments. UMI’s reflections on love, identity, and healing come across with this effortless sincerity, as if she’s journaling out loud and letting us peek over her shoulder. And when she whispers through “everything will be alright,” it’s more than reassurance—it’s a gentle reminder that you can bloom anywhere, even in concrete. “Forest in the City” feels like soul therapy disguised as music, peaceful and brave in equal measure. - Sienna