The Faves: 10 EPs of 2024
We listened to a lot of music from independent artists this year. We promise. And while we can’t listen to everything that gets released, we make a real effort. These are the 10 EPs that we had in heavy rotation.
Pop Music Fever Dream - Songs For Emotion
There’s a constant fight between impulse and forethought on Songs For Emotion. The four song release from New York’s post-punk/no wave band plays out like a conversation with a close friend. This one starts with one’s intention to talk about the endless distraction pit of technology (“Another Screen”) before we’re suddenly facing–and in turn revealing–the hidden parts of oneself (“Split”). Melodies go in and out bending and shifting alongside the noise. The songs are all glued together by real-world frustration. A direct result of today’s world. Just when the noise subsides, comes another revelation.
Theo Vandenhoff - A Fear Immortal
It’s not an easy feat to release two EPs in the same year. Much less for both to be perfectly crafted. Post-punk project Theo Vandenhoff, the trio of Theo Klaver, Callum Crombie and Tom Nixon, did just that. Where the first moved between violence and grace, A Fear Immortal captures a sense of nostalgia and that moment just before catastrophe hits. On the opening “Fear Immortal,” the trio interlaces harsh and glorious synth melodies creating a transcendent sonic experience. Klaver’s voice slowly escalates as he yearns to reach the seaside. On “Elegia, Florida,” guitars crescendo over childhood memories. Samples of US military training videos remind us of our place in “The Factory.” The band calls their latest work a “half-shredded roadmap” for the future. Are we brave enough for what’s coming?
Ergo, Bria - Change, Change, Change
Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist/producer Ergo, Bria proves time and again there’s nothing she can’t take on. This year’s Change, Change, Change EP is no different. Her diverse vocal styles across the release range from drifting harmonies (“HEAVENLY TOUCH”) to hostile growls (“MONEY”). Exploring themes of fake friends, the suffocating greed of the music industry and its competitiveness over metal and 90s alt-rock grooves, as an independent artist Ergo, Bria bites back and carves out a lane of her own.
Speedrun - Love’s Latest News
Donning full body armor on Love’s Latest News, Speedrun pays tribute to her inner hero. Moreso, she provides a visual reference point for others who have not seen themselves as the main character. Across the six songs, Speedrun, the solo project of Nina Lüders, channels the alternative sound of Sonic Youth and the indie rock guitar style of The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys. Speedrun puts her own spin by adding influences of Cameroonian Makossa and 60s French pop. With Love’s Latest News Speedrun is ready for battle.
TTSSFU - Me, Jed and Andy
In 1968 pop art icon Andy Warhol was shot by the writer Valerie Solanas, after accusing Warhol of trying to steal her work. The assassination attempt brought Warhol and Jed Johnson, a worker in Warhol’s studio/warehouse The Factory, close. Their romantic relationship lasted years before Warhol turned his attention to Studio 54. That, along with TTSSFU’s own personal relationships, is the inspiration behind Manchester-based artist’s EP Me, Jed and Andy. It’s a tale of infatuation, becoming a healer to others, resentment and giving a part of ourselves up for what could inevitably end in heartbreak.
Blake Harley - Happy Tears
Berlin-based artist Blake Harley considers the juxtaposition of opposing ideas on her debut Happy Tears. Working with Charlie Skullface, Harley explores the excitement of fear (“Dance in the Dungeon”) and chasing the night (“Howling at the Moon”), over layers of post-punk and darkwave.
Still Ruins - S/T
Still Ruins’ self-titled debut is a collection of carefully constructed songs creating a sense of nostalgia. It’s a nod to the romantic side of the 1980s new wave genre, echoing bands like A Flock Of Seagulls and a-ha. While playing the jester (“Left Against”) and recounting memories of those who have passed (“SIlhouette”), Still Ruins tugs at the heartstrings.
Glassmanet - FLOW
Audio/visual artist Glassmanet began releasing experimental psych pop back in 2020. After moving to Oslo, she was joined by Hannah Mørtl and Embrik Berge. On FLOW, the second part of a two EP project, the band dives head first into a dreamworld. Glassmanet creates intricate soundscapes, while playing with noise, the theremin on “Lagoon (on the Moon),” and language, the Spanish lyrics on “Onda.” Listening to FLOW is like looking up at the sky and watching the clouds morph into shapes you’ll try to make out.
Nadezhda - Battery
It’s hard not to feel like a cog in the machine. On their debut EP Battery, the Salt Lake City band Nadezhda speaks on behalf of those who are exploited by capitalism or live outside its bounds over grunge and hardcore. With lyrics like “Too smart to be happy/Too stupid to die,” they call out the dichotomy between recognizing our reality and opposing a corrupt system. At the same time, Nadezhda (the Slavic word for “hope”), looks to the future with optimism.
Junebug - Tooth & Nail
There’s something about Junebug. The California shoegaze trio brings a fresh perspective through its simplicity. Working with producer Jack Shirley (Deafhaven, Gouge Away), Tooth & Nail captures Junebug’s edge. The use of dynamics and samples, shows a band eager to experiment in order to find their voice. That raw energy is clearly expressed on “Clytie”, which sees Junebug swinging between fragile and unbreakable.
Other noteworthy EPs:
DellaXOZ - DELLAIRIUM
daarling - Arrangements to Change
Navel Grazr - Elegies
Nieri - Flow State
Sympathy Flowers - Through the Veil
Thames - Lessons for the Patriarchy