As West Michigan singer and keyboardist Hannah Laine puts it, her new solo EP rolls out as “a mix of approachable and boundary-pushing.”

“I think there are some tunes on the album that are a little bit more pop-oriented and your classic R&B-oriented, but we do push it in other ways stylistically,” Laine says of “Unfolding,” officially released today.

“There are lots of different sounds and layered vocals, and some of the songs don’t really follow like a traditional outline of verse, chorus and bridge. So there are ways that we’ve pushed it a bit, but in other ways, it’s also very approachable.”

Best known for her work in the Grand Rapids progressive neosoul outfit Earth Radio, Laine’s solo project combines the sonic experimentation and exploration of that acclaimed band with “a lot more personal” themes and “musical ideas that have been a little bit more fleshed out” on her own.

“I would say the overall theme of the album is empowering the spirit and tapping into the presence of love inside you, being kind to yourself,” Laine says of the project that features songs written over the past five years, with the keyboard player starting to make demos of the tracks in 2023.

Earth Radio drummer David Ward stepped in as a producer to help refine the tracks, pieced together at several different studios including La Luna Recording & Sound in Kalamazoo. Musicians such as guitarist Chris Bota (Desmond Jones), bassist Ben Wood, guitarist Ian Eylanbekov, keyboardist Dutcher Snedeker (Earth Radio), violinists Olivia Taylor, Kisa Uradomo and Madeline Warner, cellist Heewon Lee, harpist Katelynn Ehlert and erhu player Amanda Toh all contributed to the project. 

“I’ve received very positive reviews for the singles that have been released so far,” Laine noted. “A friend has been listening to (the track) ‘That’s Me’ every morning with her son to start off the day with a positive message.”

Immersed in music her entire life, the Rockford native’s musician father was a member of the cover band The Oxymorons and Laine often performed with him, even singing on a children’s album that he recorded.

“I started playing piano and writing my own songs when I was 8 years old. Because of this early introduction, music made a lot of sense to me and easily felt like a language for self-expression,” she said. “I continued to choose musical outlets in school whenever I could – singing in choirs and musicals and talent shows at Rockford Public Schools.”

Long enamored by the likes of Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Eva Cassidy, Erykah Badu and Hiatus Kaiyote, Laine has more recently fallen in love with the music of Moses Sumney, Zap Mama, Yebb and South African singer Busi Mhlongo.

To promote “Unfolding,” Laine will tour the EP this spring, performing solo, as a duo and trio, and finally, with a full-band performance at The Alluvion in Traverse City on May 23 – a production that will feature a nine-piece band, including a string quartet. 

Other upcoming shows include May 9 at the Clover Room in Kalamazoo (with Jessica Ivey), May 10 at Moondog Café in Detroit (with Na Bonsai), and May 16 at The Livery in Benton Harbor (as a trio). Laine also plays Blissfest north of Harbor Springs in July. 

“After this release, I’m hoping to get back in the studio to record other songs I have in the queue,” Laine said.

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As for the future of Earth Radio, the band is “taking a breather” to work on individual band member projects after the departure of bassist Justin Avdek, Laine said. 

“David (Ward) and Dutcher (Snedeker) are also involved in some Hannah Laine shows,” she noted. “We plan to get together in April to work on music as a trio. Shows will be very light this year, as we navigate the changes to the group and explore our new sound.”

— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.