Island, a four piece from London, will release their upcoming debut EP Girl later this month on Beatnik Creative. The EP brings a relaxing indie vibe with a slight influence from country music and the likes of The Kooks.
‘Stargazer’ gets proceedings underway. The reverb and delay on the guitar is atmospheric and mellow, while the floating country-influenced instruments are fresh and relax the listener. On top of this, the vocals bring out the perfect balance of emotion and passion.
The title track on the other hand is a rockier affair. This is a nice change, the distortion on the bass a prominent feature. The tempo is faster and it is reminiscent of bands such as Royal Blood and The White Stripes. Although the reverberated textures shine through on the guitar, it could have been placed higher in the mix, as it feels drowned out. The drumming is tight and holds the track up nicely.
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‘I’ve Been Searching’ is another slow track containing some more beautiful guitar work. The tempo is relaxing; the vocals containing a strong emotional intensity. There are some melodic guitar licks while the reverb creates an atmospheric wall of sound. As the track fades out, the intertwining, drifting guitars are executed perfectly.
The final track, ‘Nighttime Winter Blues’ incorporates elements of shoegaze and dream pop. This is the best track on the album, as it demonstrates the bands’ versatility. A smooth track with a soft piano, it allows the listener to take in the atmosphere, bringing an air of calmness. The instruments blend together beautifully towards the end, rounding off a well-crafted EP.
Girl is a taster of Island’s sound, with a mesh of ideas and creativity showing throughout. If they carry on producing tracks of this standard, then big things will be certain to happen for them in the future.
Words by Ermis Madikopoulos