Pull up a chair, grab your favorite drink, and settle in because Ravenistic has just served up something special. Her new four-track EP, “Cocktail Hour,” feels exactly like the title suggests: an intimate catch-up filled with honesty, reflection, and a few emotional plot twists.
Inspired by the spirit of 80s and 90s rock and pop, this release acts as a creative follow-up project to her 2025 album ‘Trendy‘. But make no mistake, “Cocktail Hour” stands confidently on its own. It plays out as a late-night conversation with close friends, the kind you have at a bar or over dinner where the phones stay tucked away, and the real talk begins.
Ravenistic landed on the title after choosing the four songs and noticing how naturally they flowed together. It reminded her of those early thirties nights spent dissecting relationships in unfiltered, heartfelt chats. That spirit runs through the EP. Each track explores love and its complications, with crunchy distorted guitars colliding beautifully with glossy synth textures. The sound stays true to her signature grit while pushing the emotional weight even further forward.
“Sugar Baby” looks back at a past relationship through the lens of growth. It captures that difficult moment when you realize you have outgrown something, even if there is no dramatic reason to leave. Writing it felt like releasing a long-held breath, a way of explaining a choice that once weighed heavily on her.
“Memory Lane” leans into nostalgia, but not in a gloomy way. Ravenistic spent years reshaping the music to ensure it felt uplifting rather than overly sentimental. She sees nostalgia like a sunrise or sunset, always there if you look for it, but never meant to be permanent. The track balances warmth with wisdom, acknowledging that while the past can comfort us, it can also blur reality if we let it.
“With Somebody Else” digs into relationship conflict, sparked by an argument from a decade ago that lingered in her mind. The song confronts the fact that relationships involve two people, two perspectives, and sometimes harsh words fueled by frustration. It also reflects the internal battles we face when we do not act on our feelings, but cannot ignore them either.
Closing the EP, “The Perfect Thing” offers resolution. Ravenistic intentionally wrote it to prevent the project from becoming anti-love. As a confessed rom-com fan, she could not resist crafting a love song. But this is not a sugary fairytale. It is a mature reflection on the courage it takes to stay, to nurture a long-term relationship, and to appreciate the many small, perfect details that make it work.
The EP channels the fearless energy of Debbie Harry, the punch of Joan Jett, the sleek synth touch of Kim Wilde, and the playful spark of Cyndi Lauper. These artists shaped her growing up, not just through their hits but through their bold individuality and album deep cuts that carried empowerment without self-pity. You can feel those influences woven into the grooves and crescendos of “Cocktail Hour.”
Compared to her debut solo album Trendy, this project sounds bigger and more expansive. Ravenistic handles everything herself in her home studio, from writing and recording to mixing and mastering. After leveling up her production skills through online lessons, she now embraces layered arrangements and cinematic builds without muddying the mix. Those dramatic rises into powerful choruses are clearly a favorite tool in her kit.
Her creative path has been anything but one-dimensional. Time spent in bands sharpened her multi-instrumental abilities. Writing novels strengthened her storytelling and sharpened her lyrical precision. Composing for film and television taught her about tension, hooks, and how to keep a chorus evolving. All of it feeds into the solo artist she is today.
‘Cocktail Hour’ is a nostalgic and forward-thinking rock pop confession, blending grit, synth sheen, and fearless emotional clarity
She opened up about the EP with us; you can read the full interview here. Connect With Ravenistic on Instagram and Spotify.
