Best EPs of 2023
We heard some of the best music in 2023. We connected with these EPs at first listen. Our picks range from the indie rock sounds of Peter Xan’s GOD SAVE THE KING to the 90s-influenced guitar rock of Fräulein’s Pedestal.
Our full list is below!
Bedridden - Amateur Heartthrob
On their debut EP Amateur Heartthrob, New York’s Bedridden reaches peak fuzz. The shoegaze band, Jack Riley (guitar/vocals), Andrew Whitehurst (Drums), and Sean O’Hara (bass), accompanies a guitar-washed sound with intricate drumming. The six-song release was engineered, mixed, and mastered by Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma). On the title track, Riley sings, “Binging in gasoline just to see how dizzy I can get” before ripping into a guitar solo.
Crushed - extra life
Before their debut EP extra life comes to an end, Crushed co-vocalist Bre Morell (Temple of Angels) utters the words, “You said it was your kind of heaven.” Morell is right. The LA duo made up of Morell and Shaun Durkan (Weekend), managed to make one of the most captivating releases of the year. Borrowing trip-hop, alt-rock, and shoegaze sounds, Crushed creates a unique blend that feels rather nostalgic. On “waterlily,” Morell dives into the notion of embracing someone so close, yet still out of reach, while on “coil,” Durkan vocalizes his indecision to walk away. In under 27 minutes, extra life conjures up long-lost memories, without us having to dig for them in a drawer.
Fräulein - Pedestal
Since the beginning, London’s Fräulein intended to make music that sounds identical in the studio and onstage. Their second EP Pedestal, produced by Ali Chant (Yard Act, Soccer Mommy), captures the band’s palpable energy, just as iconic albums by their influences PJ Harvey and The Breeders did in the 90s. Guitarist/vocalist Joni Samuels’ lyrics touch on self-esteem, moving from seeking reassurance from others to feeling powerful. On songs like “Pet” and “Big Cool,” Samuels and drummer Karsten Van der Tol play with dynamics. Quiet and calm instrumentation is quickly replaced by roaring guitars and howls. On Pedestal Fräulein further demonstrates it is destined to be as influential as its predecessors.
Heavy Sleeper - CHIME
Four-piece band Heavy Sleeper’s CHIME pulls from alt-rock, shoegaze, and post-punk to concoct what the band calls “space punk.” Writing songs about finding comfort in solitude (“Featherweight”) to letting someone get away (“Groan”), these songs are highly introspective. In our review of CHIME, we wrote “Vocalist Jordan Kulp sings with a casual coolness, at the same time, pulling us deeper into a reflective state.”
Night Tapes - Perfect Kindness
London-based trio Night Tapes formed after becoming roommates. Their sound combines dreamy vocals over intricate musical layers. Max Doohan, Sam Richards, and Iiris Vesik, mix elements of dream pop over electronic beats that reflect the introspective construct of their lyrics. On “Selene” they take fortune cookie advice and turn it into prose, while on “Humans” they envision a more peaceful world.
Peter Xan - GOD SAVE THE KING
London’s Peter Xan is at his most confident on his debut EP GOD SAVE THE KING. The British Nigerian artist crafts songs of rebellion (“Rejection Anthem”), authenticity (“Pressure”) and being a misfit (“Idols”). The EP, a nod to the Sex Pistols, features productions from Grian Chatten (Fontaines DC) and Karma Kid. Growing up on African music and mixing in his love of indie rock bands like Gorillaz, Peter Xan arrives at a style that is unequivocally his own.
Polevaulter - Content
Merging post-punk vocals and industrial beats on Content, Polevaulter creates immutable tension. With drilling bass lines over electronic thumps, the Leeds duo takes on identity (“Content”) and pays homage to Loukanikos, the street protest Greek canine (“Riot Dogs”). With a newly announced album on deck for 2024, we’re stoked to see what the band has in store.
Welcome Strawberry - Scared to Look
Scared to Look by Welcome Strawberry is the brainchild of Oakland musician Cyrus VandenBerghe. Along with drummer Daniel Baylis, the Oakland shoegaze project dives into a romantic melancholy pit. The EP explores what it means to be afraid to face our reflection (“Scared to Look”) and to fully surrender to someone else (“I’d Give Up Everything for You”). With its chorus-soaked guitars, heavy distortion, and pounding drums, Scared to Look embraces the darkness.
Wishy - Paradise
On their debut EP Paradise, Wishy, explores themes of self-discovery (“Spinning”), capitalism (“Donut”), and growing apart (“Too True”). The band, led by Indiana musicians Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites, mixes shoegaze, dream pop, and alt-rock that is reminiscent of their 90s influences. Their catchy melodies and pop sensibilities make them particularly thrilling to listen to.
Wych Elm - Field Crow
Using religious context to criticize society’s obsession with female “purity” (“Virgin Mary”) and detailing the physical transformation endured by the diseased in 17th-century France (“Plague”), grunge band Wych Elm brings dark detailed imagery to life across their latest EP Field Crow. The distorted vocals in the song “Wrot,” turn the main character into anonymous screams, as they choose death over an unwanted marriage.