Sometimes a certain stylized bouquet of sounds can sweep you away to new places, rich with feeling and collage boards of thought. Such is the art house fashion chic of Pouty Lips ⁠— the new album from Sleap-e, aka Asia Martina Morabito of the illustrious Italy by way of the Bay Area WWNBB Collective (We Were Never Being Boring). Having been over two years in development with instrumental assists from Luca Gruppioni, Francesco Bonora, Natan Dall'Aglio, Jacobopo Finelli and other assorted members from Baseball Gregg; Pouty Lips is a record that exists in a Euro café or thrift store boutique of its own. Asia expresses brass inflected exhibitions of emotively charged observations, idea fragments and other miscellaneous short stories that are sung in motions that mist like the steam from a ristretto shot of espresso or the fog from a lit cigarette ember.

Asia begins the album with the music box melody on "Intro", leading into the title track "Pouty Lips" that recalls fleeting flames and other reflections on memories that do not exactly match the remembrance. The sidewalk brasserie luncheon style carries forward on the stream of sentiments on "Wounded Emotions" that percolate like jazz percussion on a stove top that simmers into the romantic mind wandering wonder of "Fried Chicken". Asia orchestrates an international alternate realm ripped from visions, nightmares, the fantastic fantasias of dreams that are expertly assembled like an ensemble's production in a lavish, exclusive and clandestine lounge. This can be felt on the feverish "Cherub - Bye", embracing the vapors and ghosts of a significant absent other that lingers like the faint and fierce fragrance of "Your Scent" and mixing endearing electric chords and fidelities on the crown clutching "Queen Bee". Meditations on coming of age is imbued with an overwhelming sense of ennui on "Grown Up", before hazily embracing the sun fall in the golden hour with "Park" that gently closes the album like the conclusion of a day spent with friends and loved ones in a perpetual picnic among the trees, flowers and rich green grass.

Presenting the debut for Sleap-e’s “Pouty Lips” video, Asia Martina Morabito takes the audience on an excursion exploring local shops by day and nightlife after the twilight has fallen. With self-styled camera work supplied by the artist and Common Wild Pigs in a punky DIY sensibility, the visuals bounce from video motions to assembled photo stills arranged in a freewheeling montage. Asia begins by showcasing some home breakfast cooking, before taking us to town, stopping into a €.99 store trying on a variety of Halloween-esque masks, hats, headbands and the like. Asia peruses the bouquets and other assorted flowers at a florist stand, before indulging in an arts and crafts session while the song ruminates over paranormal and psychic perceptions. We get privy insights into the Sleap-e creative processes at play, in-between meals as Asia's day transforms into the inviting avenues of evening. Sleap-e hits up the low-lit venues, posing about the rustic ancient Italian architecture in an audio/visual event that feels like a magazine photo shoot brought to life. The video for "Pouty Lips" ends with a warm feline hang out session as Asia can be heard singing the melody to "The Girl from Ipanema" as the epic visuals draw to an endearing close.

Sleap-e’s Asia Martina Morabito shared some of the following exclusive and generous thoughts with us in the following reflective interview:

Insights into the adaptations of experience to express emotively inspired vignettes of song.

I don't feel constantly inspired by life: in fact, I usually feel quite stuck and have a hard time finding things to talk about. Instead, I feel something shaking inside of me when I realize that I’m living something strong. It has a lot to do with my self-awareness. In fact, it’s not necessarily a sudden earthquake, most of the time it’s a reaction that I would define like a wave that slowly grows in me. In those moments I usually feel very confused, so I start writing very messy and kind od crazy / weird stuff haha. I stay in an incubation state for a while, I try to enjoy it and continue to write and the more I write the more I understand; then, there comes a moment when everything seems smooth. Here, that's when I feel I expressed myself.

Reflections on the art of sketching melodies from the wells of human empathy.

I think it’s something that lies at the heart of music and that can come naturally to everyone; in fact, it is a way to express joy and pain in all cultures. It is also something naïve, childlike, pure, authentic, direct. You can have a thousand different approaches, more or less theatrical and I think it's something so liberating to do. It makes me feel truly happy and alive.

Thoughts on the praxis of creating art that allows the audience to be better receptive to the sensitivities that unites all at the core of our collective humanity.

I believe sensitivity is the basis of every great creative project. I'm not saying that to me there can't be really cool projects without this ingredient. There are some based more on aesthetics, but this doesn’t mean they don’t give something. I think it’s impossible not to give anything to the public. Aesthetics are something that I also look for, but the fact is that I prefer something more authentic and intimate because I have loads of emotional shit to express [laughs]. Yeah, I feel that my way of expressing myself creatively contains a lot of warmth that comes from my more sensitive side. Therefore, to me to be able to recall people's sensitivity is very important and I say this because it’s what I look for when I listen to music. I wish whoever listens to me could receive the same ⁠— give others what you wish for yourself. That’s all.

Personal and creative notes on trajectories, pathways and the points of progress that have led to Pouty Lips.

Pouty Lips' songs have taken on and changed shape several times. Completing this project has been a big job, which has taken a long time. Initially there was uncertainty, confusion, frustration and doubts about the identity it had to assume and the true meaning of the big picture. Over time and with many efforts, the songs have settled down, chilled and felt comfortable enough to express themselves freely. This coincides with the entry of the winds in the line-up, which opened a world to me and helped the songs to blossom like little flowers.

From collaborations with the likes of Baseball Gregg to your own unique inspirations ⁠— describe the epiphanies and realizations that you have discovered in your work with others and solo to date.

I discovered that it all depends on the approach. Collaborations have never been my strength, but meeting people like them, who came to me with an encouraging attitude, is everything to me. Baseball Gregg are golden people who made me grow a lot, they’ve showed me their union and enthusiasm, their selfless passion and the value of sharing. Spending time with them is always inspiring.

At first, working alone seemed essential to me, I didn’t used to take many steps ⁠— let's say I didn't stray too far from my borders. I was very scared and introverted, and I was afraid of sharing too much. I'm still struggling with this a little bit, but in general I enjoy everything more. Although I tend to isolate myself to write alone, now I have a band with whom I can share and feel comfortable and when we play we work well. I feel much more union, freedom and satisfaction. It is very stimulating, too, cause I find out I can do things that I did not expect and I feel I can only improve. Thanks to others I am much more aware.

From Pouty Lips and beyond....meditations on the road ahead for Sleap-e.

Pouty Lips has been a struggle that ended up with a liberating hug, a path that led me to find and accept myself. I feel like I’ve taken an important step that has somehow unlocked a side of me that is going to have a lot of fun from now on, both creatively and humanly. I feel much more excited about the future and I have a great desire to improve, experiment and express myself. Now i can really say that I feel comfortable wearing my rose-colored glasses.

Sleap-e’s album Pouty Lips will be available May 14 via WWNBB Collective.