I am not an avid audiophile and am unfamiliar with the seemingly endless genres and styles of which music can be comprised. I therefore cannot offer an objective or technical review of the music or even offer you a comparison to other music which might be similar. Luckily, in the modern age this is somewhat unnecessary since there are a myriad of ways one can sample and preview music before purchasing. What I can offer instead, are my limited interpretations and impressions of the music as a raw listening experience. I can tell you how it made me feel. I can say truthfully that I thoroughly enjoyed it and that I am abundantly happy I purchased it.
It follows in the same vein as her first EP "This Side of Paradise" which is still, perhaps, my favorite among the two releases. This should not reflect poorly on "Citrine" as it was not a clear cut judgment. I'd rather like to think of the two together as one entity especially since I now almost exclusively listen to them together on shuffle. After stumbling upon "This Side of Paradise" I felt instantly in love with Hayley's style and wanted more and now I have more with "Citrine". For me the lyric's of "Citrine" are often cryptic, though not always. Despite this fact, I believe the music successfully conveys what seems to be Haley's genuine strong emotion. This seems to be done through a skillful blend of allegorical lyric and hypnotic cadence. The musical choices being the backdrop which evokes, in me, a serene and freeing feeling in the mind. As I listen, I almost feel like I am somewhere else experiencing something new and wonderful. Yet the experience somehow is still just beyond tangibility and I find myself uncharacteristically wanting to dance.
In summary, I feel Hayley's music, perhaps like my review, is esoteric. I wouldn't have it any other way. No doubt some will understand, almost intrinsically, what Hayley is saying about the experiences from which she drew her inspiration. I cannot claim to be one of those people but I find it tremendously easy to lose myself in her narrative nonetheless. I expect others will be able to as well. Typically the way I listen to music, is in the background while doing other tasks. But I find myself often wanting Hayley's music to be the main object of my conscious focus, rather than the background focus of a mind on auto-pilot. I am grateful that I stumbled upon Haley's unique and emotionally charged music and highly recommend it. It is, in a word, delightful and I sincerely wish she continues to share her creative constructs with us.