Sienná is a Norway-based electronic producer of Japanese origin whose genre-defying, rule-bending approach has defined her catalogue for nearly a decade. Her seventh studio album, EMA, is a nine-track exploration of interconnectedness born from long, solitary walks through the mountain forests of Kyoto’s Kibune Valley and the Italian island of Ischia, where she found herself jotting down fragments of meaning as they came to her. She designed the album’s cover herself too, two eyes representing two different realms, one earthbound, one cosmic, a fitting visual for a record that keeps one foot in unbridled experimentation and the other in tradition and form. EMA is available now on Bandcamp and arrives on streaming platforms September 23rd.
EMA
Opener “Be A Seeker, Believer” sets an immediately welcoming tone, a hypnotic, City Pop-tinged track built around jazzy grooves, richly textured vocals, and sparkling production, its lyrics urging the listener toward self-belief and the courage to keep exploring. That confidence carries into “Your Fact My Fact,” a punchier, more danceable cut anchored by a bouncy low end and playful spoken-word samples, examining how facts and beliefs shift depending on who’s holding them, all while never losing its abstract, slightly eccentric edge. The title track slows everything down considerably, a minimalist, choral-vocal-driven piece that unfolds patiently rather than chasing a hook, rewarding repeat listens with details that reveal themselves gradually rather than all at once.
“Aenaria,” named for a city submerged off the coast of Ischia, leans into stately, lush synthetic strings and richly layered vocal work that Sienná treats almost as an additional instrument, poignant reflections on seeing more in someone than they see in themselves running underneath its elegant surface. That gives way to “369 (Miroku),” the record’s most physically intense moment, hushed vocals, crunchy electric guitar, and glacial, siren-like wails stacked over a fierce, rumbling low end, built around the idea of staying open to change even when it’s uncomfortable. The production here is remarkably controlled given how much is happening at once, every element distinct even as it all locks together into a single forceful listen.
The album’s back half turns inward. “Finding Inner Sanctuary” and “The Majestic” both deal in freeform, cinematic worldbuilding, gentle but genuinely bold, favoring atmosphere and restraint over obvious payoff, with “The Majestic” in particular built around a striking low-end-driven passage that anchors the whole piece. “A Messenger” shifts the mood again, using a detached, almost clinical spoken-word vocal to examine questions of faith and where meaning actually comes from, a colder, more observational counterpoint to the album’s warmer emotional passages. The record closes on “From Here To Where You Are,” built around the sounds of water and traditional instrumentation, easing the album’s tension into a soft, contemplative finish that feels earned rather than tacked on.
Final Thoughts
EMA is a genuinely rich, patient listen that rewards close attention without ever feeling inaccessible, and it’s a strong showcase of how naturally Sienná moves between eastern and western musical sensibilities. It’s available now on Bandcamp, with a full streaming release arriving September 23rd on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and other major platforms. For more, visit sienna-web.com, or follow her on X, SoundCloud, and YouTube.
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