Lambrini Girls – ‘Company Culture’
Lambrini Girls are back with another track about the patriarchy and its ceaseless means of making womxn feel undermined and undervalued in all aspects of life – especially the workplace. Tapping into archaic stereotypes that “blondes have more fun”, and “men just do it better”, vocalist Phoebe Lunny is seething as she recounts the all-too-familiar struggles and masking that you have to go through as a womxn trying to succeed in your career.
Wallice – ‘Gut Punch Love’
In reference to her mother’s partner disappearing and eventually learning that he’d been killed by Yakuza violence, Wallice distils the pains of a love stolen from you, and pours it into a wonky indie-pop song. While the song itself has no direct allusions to this anecdote, she sings of being the butt of a joke, feeling left out of vital pieces of information and distrusting those around you. Feelings that can easily be relatable to another human being, no matter how serious the matter is.
Rose Gray – ‘Switch’
A reflection on the fluidity of personalities and relationships, and morphing into a different version of yourself to best suit a certain situation, ‘Switch’ sees Rose Gray navigating the unease of a partner struggling to deal with a change in circumstances. A euphoric synth gives way to sparse bouncy synths, and ‘90s inspired straight drumbeat, giving the song a sense of timelessness.
Poppy Ajudha – ‘Lean On Me’
With an opening adlib that is reminiscent of Mariah Carey’s riffs in ‘Emotion’, Poppy Ajudha celebrates platonic relationships and the bonds that become strengthened when you’re going through intense situations at the same time as your friends. Creating an uplifting anthem, which contains all of the blueprints of a pop banger, she’s setting the tone for a wholesome dancefloor moment where you’re with all of your besties and celebrating the high moments in life.
Indigo De Souza – ‘WHOLESOME’
Venturing into the realms of saccharine pop with elements of hyperpop, Indigo De Souza’s surprise EP ‘WHOLESOME EVIL FANTASY’ is led by the track ‘WHOLESOME’ which feels like Hellogoodbye’s ‘Here (In Your Arms)’, updated almost two decades later, as she sings of a love that’s so pure, it’s almost too good to be true. But the best part about it is that it’s reciprocated, where each person enjoys the intricacies of the other’s personalities, from the way they talk, to the way they dance.