Jane Paknia – Millions of Years of Longing EP Review

Inventive, addictive and euphoric, Jane Paknia’s second EP Millions of Years of Longing is one of the strongest and most confident EPs of 2025 so far.

Spanning seven tracks, the project is ambitious in scope and musically rich, combining razor-sharp production with moments of real tenderness. It is a complex and layered EP that manages to feel both experimental and emotionally direct, often within the same track. Paknia is still relatively new to the scene. Her debut EP Orchid Underneath arrived last year and received praise from outlets including Pitchfork. Born in New York City, she grew up surrounded by music. She learned classical piano from her grandmother at the age of four, later expanding into brass instruments and composing original big band works during school. That early foundation in classical and jazz music informs much of her current sound, which blends electronic textures with live instrumentation and a clear sense of structure.

On Millions of Years of Longing, she pulls from a wide range of styles. There are glimmers of hyper-pop, echoes of Alice Coltrane's spiritual jazz, and the exuberance of baroque classical music. The result is something genuinely fresh. Her production is bright and energetic, packed with ideas but never overwhelmed by them. It is a joy to listen to.

The EP opens with “Waiting pt 1” a short but vibrant piece that sets the tone. It is punchy and propulsive, and while it feels like it could have gone further, it makes for an intriguing introduction.

“Solace” is perhaps the standout. It features a janky bassline that almost seems to fall out of step with the beat, creating a nervous tension that is both exciting and strange. Paknia’s vocals enter halfway through, rich and soaring, lifting the track into something euphoric. There is a sense of controlled chaos here, reminiscent of Dirty Projectors’ Bitte Orca, but with a heavier emotional pull.

On “Badddd” Paknia leans into a more unsettling palette. The track opens with chip-tuned synths that recall the eerie soundtrack of Lavender Town from Pokémon. Her vocals hover like a phantom presence, fading in and out over warped electronics and distorted bass. The line “I feel bad” repeats like a mantra, direct and unadorned. It is one of the darker and more hypnotic moments on the record.

The title track “Millions of Years of Longing” serves as an instrumental bridge between the two halves of the EP. It opens with soft, jazzy keyboard lines that nod to Mort Garson’s Plantasia, then gradually distorts and mutates into something glitchier and more fragmented. It eventually resolves into a final wash of dreamy chords, connecting the experimental with the meditative.

“Resolve” reintroduces Paknia’s vocals, which here feel more tender than anywhere else on the EP. The warm keys at the start ease into a melody that sits somewhere between Jockstrap’s Georgia Ellery and a late-night ballad. There is a clear emotional weight to the performance, and the lyrics have a physical intensity that lingers.

Closing track “The Dream is This” begins with jazzy piano chords and slow-burning elegance. Paknia’s voice floats in and out, delicate and ghostlike. The arrangement steadily builds with layers of percussion and synths, gaining urgency before fading into a final stretch of erratic jazz drums and vocal fragments. It is a fitting end to an EP that constantly shifts and evolves without ever losing its direction.

Paknia’s music thrives on contrast. She balances moments of chaos with clarity, pairing formal complexity with pop immediacy. Her background in classical and jazz is felt in every twist and turn, but the music remains accessible and vibrant. Millions of Years of Longing is an impressive step forward. Paknia sounds bold and assured, and the EP suggests she is only just beginning to explore what she is capable of. This is exciting, innovative work from an artist with a clear vision and serious skill.