One of the most awaited releases of the year is undoubtedly Holly Humberstone’s debut LP Paint my Bedroom Black, and for good reason.
After fans got ahold of her brand new single ‘Antichrist’, it was clear that Humberstone returned to conquer. “[Antichrist] is about a break up I went through a couple of years ago. I genuinely cared about this person and wanted so badly to make it work, but I knew something wasn’t right and my heart wasn’t in it,” the singer explained. And the song reflects it – with its autotuned vocals and intimate feel that then explodes into an electro-pop atmosphere highlighting Humberstone’s vocals and story-telling abilities.
The choice of numbering ‘Antichrist’ as the seventh track was smart, since the previous songs can prepare the listener for the strongest track on the record. The opening namesake track – ‘Paint my Bedroom Black’ – is a nice laid back pop song, however it risks falling into banality with its anonymous rhythm and personality. However, the second and third songs – ‘Into your Room’ and ‘Cocoon’ – quickly redeem Humberstone’s first album. Reminiscent of The Japanese House and Caroline Polachek, they pull the listener in with glistening synths and enthralling melodies. The third track in particular offers a comforting coming-of-age sound, exploding into a beautiful guitar-led chorus where she sings “I’m just going through something.”
An acoustic moment is embodied by the fourth track, ‘Kissing in Swimming Pools’, which enhances Humberstone’s clear and neat vocals perfectly, with elegant details of strings and deep cello-like accents. She whispers: “When you found me I was a train wreck / you gathered my bones in a blanket / So can we kiss in your swimming pool? / In this bathing suit, I would die for you.” I have to say, this track is a nice break from the pop aspects on this record, a relaxing and romantic moment shared by the singer and her listeners, almost recalling some of the best Olivia Rodrigo works.
The acoustic folk-ish tendencies keep going also on ‘Ghost Me’, and the eloquent 11th track ‘Elvis Impersonators’. Even though both these songs feel quite simple compared to the remaining melodies, but sometimes simplicity is all one needs. One of the most intimate releases is definitely the acapella Bon Iver-esque interlude ‘Baby Blues’. It seamlessly transitions into the 10th track, ‘Flatlining’, in which Humberstone talks about the struggle of being friends with a former lover, adding an interesting mix of electro-pop and experimental synths. Personally, I believe this track is one of the strongest on the whole record, bringing some sunshine and hope in the very personal journey Humberstone is undertaking alongside her listeners.
The last two tracks are a brave addition to Paint my Bedroom Black, definitely there as a statement of not only Humberstone’s talent but also creativity. The closing track, in particular, titled ‘Room Service’ is a sweet story told by a teenage girl who is having to grow up really quickly because of time passing and her first experiences of touring and being away from home. “I was finding myself constantly stressed out and although I was having fun [touring], I was really missing home and my friends. I felt like I was watching them live out their lives from a phone screen, like I was being left behind,” Humberstone describes. “There was this swelling feeling that I was growing apart from that world that I was missing so badly, and I just didn’t want to be forgotten.”
And this is, I guess, what this album is about. It is a testament put out in order not to be forgotten. It is clear that Humberstone is still finding her feet in the music industry and in a couple of instances, her music risks to be slightly predictable. However, there are glimpses of creativity and originality which are promising to see, and it is very important that she holds onto these for dear life. Painting my Bedroom Black is a sweet and romantic example of pop music and, really, Holly does not need to worry about being forgotten. This is just the start.
Words by Silvia Pellegrino
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