Gebrasy — “Into Your Arms”
As I think I’ve mentioned earlier in these reviews, this is the first time that I’ve really paid attention to all the national finals, rather than just picking off the smaller ones (Czech Republic, Australia, Iceland, etc.) and getting the general gist of what was going on in the others. But I’m fully aware that Gebrasy comes into this selection as the runner-up to The Roop, who were always going to win selection for 2021 after the pandemic denied them a ticket to the 2020 contest. However, Gebrasy impressed many with his showing, and he’s back with a ballad which showcases his versatile, delicate voice — the instruments serve to create the mood and little else, which you could argue is okay because you’ll be too busy enjoying the vocals anyway. However, I’d say they’ve overshot the mark here: the instrumentation is too one-dimensional; there are no surprises throughout the song, so the pressure is entirely on Gebrasy to sing well (spoiler: I’m fairly certain that he will).

Mėnulio Fazė — “Give Me a Sign”
“Part-time low-key banger” was my first reaction to this song. When it gets to the chorus you’ll be nodding along to the smooth beat, but the verses use a less accessible rhythmic structure. They have false starts and sudden stops, even though the song in itself keeps moving forward and Mėnulio Fazė sings with his own rhythm. Once you push beyond this the song has a fair bit going for it. The chorus is catchy and the vocals meld easily with the instruments. In a contest where vocal performances are key to success though, his comes across as competent but not special.