Following her pulsing debut EP exploring personal relationships – both romantic and familial – Holly Humberstone’s second EP hits closer to home.
A year on from her debut EP, Falling Asleep At The Wheel, Holly Humberstone returns with The Walls Are Way Too Thin: a 6-track EP full of emotional insight and Humberstone’s signature brooding vocals.
‘Haunted House’ is hauntingly beautiful, a stunningly simple piano track laced with emotion regarding leaving her childhood home behind.
Previous single ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ mingles charismatic dark pop with a stunning emotional display — capturing the sense of loss Humberstone felt at a specific time in her life, whilst proving that she isn’t afraid to release deeply personal pieces.
The production of the album is more adventurous than its predecessor, evident on the Matty Healy led track ‘Please Don’t Leave Just Yet’. It takes on a different sound than the first two tracks, full of electronic flourishes and, at times, slightly bizarre vocal harmonies.
‘Thursday’ is a simple, acoustic laced track, that gradually builds to become a catchy crowd-pleaser.
‘Scarlett’, named after Holly’s best friend, looks back at the musician helping her through a break-up. There’s a touch of humour to this track as she sings “We go together like bad British weather / On the one day I made plans” and, unlike the brooding tracks which precede it, this is a track looking towards a more optimistic future as opposed to being rooted in the past.
‘Friendly Fire’ sees Humberstone tend to a failed romance through a track laced with ambient acoustic guitar and floaty, mid-tempo melodies. It starts off soft but gradually builds to a beautiful brooding climax — it allows you to truly appreciate the softness and the emotion behind the vocals.
She might only be two EPs down, but Holly Humberstone shows herself to be an impressive talent with The Walls Are Way Too Thin. There is a tenderness and vulnerability in these tracks that artists often take years to reveal but Humberstone does so early, proving she is an act we should be keeping our eyes on.
Rating
Holly Humberstone’s The Walls Are Way Too Thin is out tomorrow – November 12th – and is available to pre-order and pre-save now.
