Alex Banin, ANT ENOCH, Caroline Kingsbury, deary, DIME, Gel, Girl Scout, Gore., Hans Williams, Her New Knife, Isaac Dunbar, Kaitlyn Olson, Lee Lewis, mary in the junkyard, Medium Build, Moody Joody, Nathan Ball, Night Tapes, NOEL, sacha, Stevie Bill, Talia Raye, TEE, The Brook & The Bluff, The Volunteers
From all of us here at Atwood Magazine, we wish you a happy and healthy new year!
2024 has been an inspiring year for music. Living legends have further solidified their legacies, whilst fresh faces have become new favorites.
Atwood Magazine has always had at its core the mission to celebrate music of all genres, and this year we continued our goal to be a space of inclusivity and representation by consciously highlighting art and artists from around the world. The year in music was made all the more exciting because of the broad range of music we featured and focused on – from those familiar names in the Top 40, to creatives in the most underground, indie, and alternative of circles.
For so many of these artists, music is more than a mere means of self-expression; it is a vessel full of awesome potential. In recent years, it has felt increasingly important to acknowledge and elevate those who use their art as a voice for the disenfranchised; the oppressed; the underrepresented; and the underprivileged. This year, we continue to recognize those who speak for more than just themselves, while at the same time indulging in the familiar, timeless themes of love, loss, hope, connection, courage, change, and the never-ending pursuit of happiness.
As the year comes to a close, our staff took a step back to honor the songs, albums, EPs, concerts, and artist discoveries that had the greatest impact on our lives. Without further ado, Atwood Magazine is proud to present our curated list of 2024’s EPs of the Year, in alphabetical order by artist.
These are our favorites – the EPs that influenced and inspired us the most. Please join us in celebrating 2024’s contributions to the music world!
Mitch Mosk, Editor-in-Chief
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Atwood’s 2024 Music of the Year
The Best EPs of 2024
Click on the artist’s name to skip right to their EP’s entry!
Alex Banin, ANT ENOCH, Caroline Kingsbury, deary, DIME, Gel, Girl Scout, Gore., Hans Williams, Her New Knife, Isaac Dunbar, Kaitlyn Olson, Lee Lewis, mary in the junkyard, Medium Build, Moody Joody, Nathan Ball, Night Tapes, NOEL, sacha , Stevie Bill, Talia Raye, TEE, The Brook & The Bluff, The Volunteers
The most intimate, ambient, and vulnerable record I heard this year was, without a doubt, Alex Banin’s achingly dreamy Since Winona. “And to be somebody’s someone; to feel like I was something for once…” she trails off in the EP’s opening minute, her voice a lightning rod of raw emotion in a sea of seductive drum work. “I can’t stay involved with your choices. I can’t afford what you do in boredom these days.” It’s a spine-chilling introduction, and one that perfectly sets the tone for the next fifteen minutes as the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter pours her heart out, bringing listeners into her inner sanctum with soul-stirring finesse. Personal highlights have included the intoxicating, utterly mesmerizing “Doc Whiler,” the tender and turbulent “IN FEAR, ETC.,” the loss and longing-fueled “FKA Passat,” and the beautifully gut-wrenching, hypnotic, and heartrending “From a Different Life, It Seems” – each of which stands on its own, but is made better by the songs around it.
Like all the best records, the true power and strength of Since Winona comes out when you listen to the record in full, allowing Alex Banin to take your mind, body, and soul on a sweetly spellbinding journey that, while fleeting, proves instantly memorable and irresistibly moving. – Mitch Mosk
Some artists choose to introduce themselves through glimpses of triumph and celebration. Australian singer/songwriter Ant Enoch has ostensibly done the opposite; his first steps into this world reflect his lowest lows, and quite frankly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. A breathtakingly beautiful exhale of love, loss, grief, and growth, the artist’s debut EP Big Talk Big Party aches with the weight of life-altering change. Released in May, it’s a smoldering, soul-stirring record of intimate connection and unfiltered vulnerability: The Sydney-based singer/songwriter and producer spills the contents of his heavy heart out in six diaristic and dreamy songs that feel as though they were wrenched from his innermost depths. He approaches each track with a gentle, careful touch, building ambient, all-consuming soundscapes filled with sonic heat and visceral feeling.
The resulting experience is unavoidably cathartic and soul-baring, as the light of Enoch’s humanity shines through the darkness in his midst. The hazy, moody nuance and confessional upheaval of EP opener “Natural Light” sets the tone for the entire EP. “Television” invites audiences to dwell with him in sweltering pools of profound heartache as he sings about a friend’s house burning down, reaching out to a loved one in need. “Tunnel Road” is a shiver-inducing seduction of intimacy’s intensity (and fragility) featuring fellow Aussie (and Atwood’s Editor’s Pick) Moreton, aka Georgia James Potter. “With every breath they take, every sweet lyric, every subtle exhale, every line they deliver in soul-stirring harmony, it all feels autobiographical, which makes experiencing this song that much more intense,” Atwood wrote in our track premiere, honing in on the provocative, emotionally potent lyric, “Everything that makes you feel, makes me feel” – a line that speaks to the magnetic, majestic, empathetic force when two hearts beat as one. Joining the above three songs are new, previously unheard tracks “Beginners,” “Big Talk,” and “Big Party,” each of which is as irresistibly catchy as it is heartrending.
Enchanting, entrancing, and altogether impassioned, Big Talk Big Party is a seductively soothing masterpiece. Easily one of this year’s best debuts, Ant Enoch’s EP treats listeners to spellbinding snippets of life’s lows, and even a few of its highs (looking at you, “Tunnel Road”), all wrapped in a smoldering blanket of wondrous, soul-soaked sound. It’s a tender tempest; a gentle giant of emotionally-charged, musically nuanced self-expression that lingers on the ears, and on the heart, long after its nineteen-minute runtime. – Mitch Mosk
Caroline Kingsbury’s new EP opens on an undeniable, irresistible high note – both literally and figuratively. “What if I told you there’s a paradise here on earth? Baby babe it’s you and I,” the indie pop artist sings over pulsing drumbeats and strutting bass guitar lines. Within seconds, she creates in her music a space for connection and freedom, where all are welcome and embraced for who they are. “In our house, just you and me,” she proclaims in a dazzling chorus, “They say we’re crazy, but baby we’re free!” It’s a celebration – an effortless euphoric embrace of herself, her community, and the wider world as she knows it.
Life isn’t always easy, but there are still plenty of reasons to smile – and on I Really Don’t Care, Kingsbury pours her heart and soul into five sparkly, cinematic pop songs that express just how much she really does care. Released in October, the five-track record delivers fifteen nonstop minutes of bold and breathtakingly passionate indie pop that will have audiences dancing like no one’s watching, singing like no one’s listening, and smiling uncontrollably from ear to ear – because this isn’t just feelgood music; it’s feelgreat music. I Really Don’t Care is the same Caroline Kingsbury fans have adored for years now, and yet it’s unlike anything we’ve heard from her before. The songs pull from ‘80s dance pop, new wave, indie rock, and more as Kingsbury asserts herself not just through her stunning vocals, but through a shimmering, spellbinding array of instruments that steal the spotlight in the best way possible. Simply put, this record feels fully realized not just from a singer/songwriter’s perspective, but from a full band’s perspective. – Mitch Mosk
Haunting and heavenly, delicate and dramatic, deary’s sophomore EP is a spellbinding dream pop seduction. The British duo bare their souls in a cathartic, all-consuming soundscape soaked in sweet vocals, dazzling reverb, and dreamy sepia tones; moments of nostalgia, yearning, connection, and wonderment collide and coalesce into one as the soul-stirring six-track Aurelia dares us to be bold, to dream big, to be true to ourselves, and are to forever wear our hearts unapologetically on our sleeves.
An Atwood Magazine artist-to-watch, the London-based duo of vocalist Rebecca ‘Dottie’ Cockram and guitarist-producer Ben Easton have been drenching our airwaves with ethereal and soul-stirring music ever since they introduced themselves in early 2023. Aurelia follows deary’s lush self-titled debut EP (released last November), building upon the atmospheric, reverb-drenched world they introduced us to last year. Whilst they certainly evoke the likes of Mazzy Star, Slowdive, and Cocteau Twins, deary have, from day one, stood out as something special – and their sophomore effort further sets them apart from the swathe of modern dream pop and shoegaze bands.
Highlights abound on the journey from Aurelia’s seductively dreamy, scene-setting title track to its soothing finale, “Dream of Me.” Lead single “The Moth” is immersive, enchanting, and utterly captivating: A feast for the mind, body, and soul, its thick wall of sound engulfing the ears as Cockram invites us deep into her world: “You could be my universe,” she sings as heavy, reverb-laden guitars swell, soar, and drone alongside pulsing drums. Her golden vocals are a beacon of warm light in a cool, all-consuming environment. “I lost my way in the fire, I am a moth to the flame. Dancing too close to desire to feel again.” Songs like “Selene” and “The Drift” further build out Aurelia’s intoxicating, enveloping musical world marked at once by darkness and light, movement and stillness, warmth and coolness.
Into everything they make, deary inject their own unfiltered, unabridged humanity – making these songs, each one a dizzying, dazzling rush, all the more compelling. Intimacy and vulnerability are but two hallmarks of Dottie Cockram’s songwriting; she pours her full self into her lyrics, as into her performance, resulting in music that seems to make time itself stand still. While for so many artists the sophomore EP is a steppingstone, for deary it is a statement of evolution and intent. – Mitch Mosk
Local hardcore music scenes tend to be very tight-knit and protective communities, with most artists cultivating loyal fanbases concentrated in nearby cities and few extending far out. I discovered Miami’s DIME by happenstance (or was it by fate?) while briefly through my Instagram explore page, and God, am I glad I did. Though deeply connected to their hometown roots, having only played shows in Florida and surrounding states, the band has significantly captured my attention in San Diego over the past few months, as I incessantly check their page for the possibility of a show announcement in Southern California.
The five-piece released their debut self-titled EP, DIME, in early February, an introspective yet larger-than-life five-song project blending the likeness of post-hardcore and nu-metal, easily commanding ears and minds with vocal, instrumental, and lyrical rawness teeming with emotional complexity. The juxtaposition of pounding guitars with at times melancholy vocals allows the project to strike a balance between heavy and melodic, packing plenty of punch while keeping it wholly immersive. DIME builds a strong, identifiable foundation with an even stronger musical debut, creating a memorable and infectious listening experience across a short five tracks. – Isabella Le
Gel have tightened the screws on their new EP, Persona. It was released at the end of this summer, and it finds the New Jersey-based hardcore band with a more refined sound than earlier projects. The five-track EP was inspired by Carl Jung’s concept of the “shadow self,” and it delves into themes of authenticity, accountability and self-confrontation. There’s an alt-rock sensibility throughout the EP that makes it more accessible to just a hardcore or metal audience. A standout track is “Shame,” in which vocalist Sami Kaiser scrapes the sides of their own subconscious to show us an unflattering view of themselves with a level of verve and raw honesty that borders on self-flagellation. Their screams are a catharsis, a balm over the exposure to facades that people maintain, particularly within the hardcore scene. “Shame” really showcases Gel’s ability to blend thick, sludgy power cords and chugging riffs with dynamic tempo changes, resulting in a cohesive concept project that is a testament to the band’s growth and reach. – Kendall Graham
One of the hottest acts to come out of Sweden in recent years, Girl Scout combine raw, unfiltered indie rock passion with emotional depth, catchy songwriting, and breathtaking vulnerability with everything they make. Their critically acclaimed first two EPs Real Life Human Garbage and Granny Music (both of which have been featured on Atwood Magazine) laid a powerful, provocative foundation, atop which their third EP Headache reckons, rises, roars, and radiates an intense, unrelenting, all-consuming heat.
Though just seventeen minutes strong, the feverish five-track record feels at once seismic and spellbinding – demanding its audience’s undivided attention through spirited sonic seductions filled with youthful vigor, earnest aching, and charged, charming, cathartic, stadium-sized refrains. It’s not so much that Girl Scout’s songs are all-consuming, but rather, they’re ever-present – each one filled with magic moments that promise evoke real emotional responses out of us listeners, all while getting stuck on repeat in our heads. – Mitch Mosk
Gore. Are a hardcore trio based out of Texas, and they released their debut EP, A Bud That Never Blooms via Spinefarm Records. I’ve noticed over the past two years female metal, hardcore and heavy rock vocalists getting a lot more of their due. I want to put Gore.’s EP into the mix, because it deserves the hype that it’s gotten. It’s a fantastic project with imagery that is equal parts brutal and beautiful. They arrive to the scene with a dynamic mix of metalcore and industrial with alternative rock sensibilities, thanks to guitarist Alex Reyes and bassist Devin Birchfield’s synergy; all of this plays against singer Haley Roughton’s enrapturing mix of harsh and clean vocals. “Babylon” is a standout track, perfectly encapsulating what is so great about Gore. There’s churning and chugging riffs, tempo changes and sharp, witty lyrics that disarm as much as they enchant. It’s a very fun, menacing face-melting ride showing that Gore. has positioned itself expertly to be a household name in the heavy music scene moving forward. – Kendall Graham
With his charming, emotionally charged voice and a litany of heartwarming melodies in his arsenal, singer/songwriter Hans Williams is a surefire choice – and easy favorite – for all fans of the “Stomp and Holler” folk-pop genre. The five songs off his debut EP More Than One Way Home are soulful, sentimental, and seductive – calling to mind better-known contemporaries like Noah Kahan, Zach Bryan, and The Lumineers, all while standing apart from them. It may be a little while before the Vermont-born, New Orleans-based Williams carves out his own definitive “niche” in what has clearly become one of the 2020s’ “it” genres, but he is without a doubt on the hitlist, with songs like “Skin,” “No Wonder,” and the titular “More Than One Way Home” aching with intense, all-consuming folk-soaked fury. – Mitch Mosk
Shoegaze might’ve reached critical mass last year. But unlike the Brits — who, by the mid-’90s, had already fled the scene for Oasis — this new wave of young Americans remained on indie rock’s cutting edge in 2024.
Her New Knife banded together over Florida’s college airwaves, but that they’ve settled into a niche right here in my hometown makes perfect sense. Though typically only an industry leader when it comes to carjackings and mascot debauchery, Philadelphia has stood on the frontline of shoegaze’s revival thanks to local champions Julia’s War. Just like their labelmates, Her New Knife aren’t dulled by nostalgia. chrome is lullaby polished their pedalboard with aching slowcore, the glint of post-punk and a cartoonish hammering of krautrock.
Zoomers salvaged shoegaze from the cultural dustheap partly because it reflects their fear for our collective future, but Her New Knife are sick and tired of dreaming. “This is taking too long“, Edgar Atencio muttered with all the veiled contempt of a classic overachiever. Written in an attempt to hack away at their own preconceptions for the band, “purepurepure” puts a fresh scare into the term free spirit. The guitars don’t swirl like pinkish clouds of cotton candy; they scrape and screech like a long and crusty fingernail across broken glass. “Stop f*ing with yourself / Just do what you want.” As if on command, a digital splash of keys ripples above the murky bass line with a similar twinkle to the look in Norman Bates’ eye.
With this many tricks up the sleeve of a single EP, it’s what Her New Knife are capable of that’s truly frightening. – Will Yarbrough
To his credit, Isaac Dunbar has always been a “fearless freak” – a singular voice beating to the tune of his own drum, following his heart, trusting his gut, singing loud, proud, and unapologetically – yet on his new EP, the singer/songwriter sounds especially free. It’s as if something clicked within as he entered his twenties, and his world went from reds, greens, and blues, to total technicolor. Such is the dynamic shift that occurs when one moves to the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps. Dunbar channels New York City’s raw, relentless (and irresistible) energy into Beep Beep Repeat, a bold, in-your-face, and utterly intoxicating record of letting loose, dancing all night, dreaming big dreams, and finding your place in the concrete jungle. If he can make it here, he can make it anywhere – and if these six songs are any indication, then there truly is no limit to what Isaac Dunbar can do or where he can go.
Released in April, Beep Beep Repeat is exhilarating, intense, and – like the city that inspired it – absolutely all-consuming. Isaac Dunbar’s first release since 2022’s eight-track Banish the Banshee EP sees the alt-pop artist from Massachusetts truly coming into his own while channeling the spirits of pop trailblazers before him: Bits of Bowie, Mercury, Gaga, and Jagger shine through breathtaking, soul-stirring, and head-turning vocal performances full of glitz, glam, and unfiltered, uncompromising passion. From the fiery beats and party atmosphere of “Apartment A” to the intense, immediate, and emotionally charged power-balladry of “American High,” the cathartic, intimate upheaval of “Backseat Girl” and beyond, Beep Beep Repeat is the product of a soul unleashed.
And Isaac Dunbar is most certainly unleashed. – Mitch Mosk
Los Angeles born and raised artist Kaitlyn Olson serves up an EP full of vibes with After the Rain. The four-track release, which was produced by acclaimed rapper and singer RMR, is a beautiful concoction of lo-fi beats, bedroom pop soundscapes and a hint of R&B. Olson’s soulful, sultry vocals weave tales of love and heartbreak, with each song brimming with raw emotion.
Title track, “After The Rain” is an empowering release about finding self-love, even in the darkest of times. With its echoing instrumentation, Olson’s powerful vocals become an unforgettable earworm as she chants, “After the rain, roses sprout out of the ground.” It’s a bold declaration of resilience and growth, perfectly capturing the spirit of the entire EP.
“I wear my heart out on my chest,” Lee Lewis sings at the start of his debut EP. It’s the bare-naked truth, and the perfect introduction to an artistry built around unfiltered, unapologetic self-expression. Lewis’ songs were themselves a form of therapy and healing, and so it comes as no surprise that they are as cathartic as they are confessional. The Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter dwells in the deep end of life’s emotional spectrum as he untangles the brutal web of inner conflict and turbulence that defined his twenties, unpacking his identity and lived experiences to discover his actual voice as a person: In other words, his humanity.
An Atwood Magazine artist-to-watch since his very first single, Lee Lewis holds nothing back on the seven-track Something Burning, an achingly intimate and all-consuming seduction of smooth, sultry R&B and smoldering soul. It’s an unforgettable entrance, and one that instantly sets Lewis apart as a singular powerhouse of passionate, breathtaking sound. – Mitch Mosk
Based out of London, experimental alt rock trio mary in the junkyard released their debut EP, this old house, back in the spring. It’s a great representation of their style and ethos. It’s a little bit weird, a little bit unsettling, you always feel like some huge breakdown is right on the verge of most of the songs. Although this kind of catharsis is delivered in other ways across the 4-track project, the band excels at keeping listeners on their toes in a near-constant state of tension, waiting for some kind of chaos to happen. This EP is really about controlled chaos and what a group of eclectic musicians can do with it. They have been described by Dazed as “angry, weepy, chaos rock” and that seems like an apt summation of the band’s energy. Opening track “ghost” introduces cyclical drum patterns intertwining with a deep bass line, creating something almost at once mystical and mythical. Vocalist Clari Freeman-Taylor, bassist and viola player Saya Barbaglia and drummer David Addison have brewed up something very unique here, relying on the emotional depth of both the music and the lyrics to highlight their bright-looking path in the alternative music scene. – Kendall Graham
Medium Build’s Nick Carpenter tapped his roots, his history, and his family for 2024’s critically acclaimed album Country, and then he went back home in November’s Marietta EP. Named after his first hometown back in Georgia, the five-track surprise release houses songs that didn’t make the cut for April’s full-length album, as well as some newer tracks that Carpenter refused to sit on. From the intimate rush of “John & Lydia” – a dynamic, dramatic, empathetic ode to his own parents – to the spiritual haunt of “Yoke,” which features the one and only Julien Baker (a longtime, close friend), Marietta is a tight, turbulent, and masterful work. The hard-hitting opening track (and lead single) “Triple Marathon” aches on multiple levels as Carpenter wrestles with romance while his career takes off, singing from both his and his partner’s perspectives as balance – and happiness – seem to evade or elude him at every twist and turn. Closing tracks “Dad’s 4Runner” and “Faded Blue” are sonic opposites – one an indie rock rager, the other a warm, gentle folk ballad – but both find the singer/songwriter baring his soul in classic Medium Build fashion, singing his heart out while leaving it all on the field for us to see, hear, and (most importantly,) feel. – Mitch Mosk
The presidential election results were made a little more palatable for me with the release of Moody Joody’s enchanting debut EP just a few days later – and while the sting of American politics remains in my bones, so does this record’s cinematic warmth. A radiant, energetic, and emotional 20-minute record filled with escapist dreams and romantic reveries, Dream Girl is a spirited, sweetly shimmering seduction of indie- and alt-pop wonder. The Nashville-based trio of Kaitie Forbes, Kayla Hall, and producer Andrew Pacheco dwell in intimate spaces of desire, doubt, connection, and catharsis on six infectiously catchy, sweaty songs – each of which seems to highlight another of this captivating band’s many marvelous sides. The anxious waves of raw, restless energy that ripple throughout “Ground Control” make for a perfect introduction, and all that lies ahead – be it the drama and heat of “Dream Girl,” the steamy pulse of “Velvet Connection,” or the glistening glow of “El Camino High” – is pure, unadulterated musical gold. – Mitch Mosk
Based in Cornwall, UK, British singer/songwriter Nathan Ball is known for his beautifully introspective music, where gentle folky guitars are accompanied by his soulful vocals. His EP Lost Track of Time is demonstrative of this beloved sound, with the four-track release embodying his love of nature and the serene landscapes of Cornwall. The music mirrors the breathtaking beauty of his surroundings, with each song evoking the quiet power and tranquility of the natural world.
The EP features the stunning single “Rise Up Again” which is an empowering track about resilience and hopefulness in the face of adversity. It delivers an uplifting message that we all could learn more from, with the songwriter singing about the importance of being there for a loved one when they are going through dark times. The spine-tingling single showcases Ball’s impressive vocal range, which soars over plucky guitars and atmospheric synths.
Listening to Night Tapes’ new EP really does feel like diving headfirst into someone’s dreams, and perhaps it’s just as well – the aptly titled assisted memories is a seductive soundtrack full of hypnotic melodies, sultry beats, and sweaty synths. Add to that alluring mix lead singer Iiris Vesik’s celestial vocals, and the result is utterly enchanting, if not wholly mesmerizing: Through seven spellbinding tracks, the London-based trio create a warm and wondrous cinematic journey packed with heavy emotions and captivating sounds. Whether you’re taken to the record’s more ambient moments (the softly stirring “easy time to be alive” is pure perfection in that regard), or more moved by the stunning electro-pop pulse of tracks like “projections,” “loner,” and the Daft Punk-esque “drifting,” assisted memories proves itself a beautiful, varied wonderland of sound. – Mitch Mosk
I first encountered Swedish singer NOEL when his song “Without Calling” was pitched to me back in the spring. I enjoyed the track and wrote favorably about it in our Weekly Roundup, concluding that “He’s on an admirable trend right now, all things considered.” Several months later, I’m pleased to announce that that admiral trend of which I once spoke has been extended into the fall and manifested in his most recent EP, Mementos. Here, “Without Calling” is joined by an additional four tracks that further showcase NOEL’s strengths in the songwriting department.
“Out of my Mind” outlines the mounting stress and pressure in his life, perhaps due to life in the show biz: “My fear will get the best of me, it steals away my sanity, I close my eyes but I can’t sleep… these demons haunt me every night.” The remaining tracks paint a further picture of his current mental state – “Nightmares,” for instance, talks about “the insecurities and doubts that can arise when you’re chasing your dreams.” NOEL’s talents as a multi-instrumentalist also shine throughout, as he can be heard shifting between the piano and guitar, with his Scandinavian buddies like Kris Eriksson contributing some 808 drum-heavy production as well. In the end, Mementos should give NOEL plenty of momentum to take his musical career even further in the new year. – Josh Weiner
Paris-based musician, SACHA, aka Sacha Arnaud, dropped his four-track EP, CHANGE OF HEART at the end of 2024, and it quickly became a standout release. Not only does it feature mesmerizing instrumentation and soothing yet haunting vocals, but its thought-provoking lyrics also make a lasting impact. The EP is an extremely personal work of art for SACHA, as he documents an important chapter in his life, venturing into a new phase of self-reflection. The songwriter explains, “This EP is the first step towards being more in tune with myself and sharing a glimpse of my inner world. It is the embodiment of my quest for authenticity but also the door towards larger sonic exploration and deeper lyrical experimentation.”
Title track “Change of Heart” is an intimate song that details the songwriter’s experience of growing up without a father. Through this deeply personal and vulnerable journey, listeners are invited to witness the emotions of rejection, expressed through his aching vocals and delicate guitar melody. All he asks for is to be seen and heard, and “Change of Heart” almost serves as his own way of achieving that.
Stevie Bill is as charismatic, as charming, and as unfiltered in real life, as she is in song. The Dutch artist’s sophomore EP I was a platinum blonde is a stunningly dreamy, achingly intimate, and beautifully vulnerable exploration of self-discovery through a young adult’s lens. It’s a spellbinding (re)introduction to the New York City-based singer/songwriter: A warm and inviting record whose catchy inner reckonings and candid reflections captivate and compel, bringing us ever-closer to Bill and the wondrous indie pop world she is building, both around herself and within herself, in real time.
For Bill, changing her outer appearance by going blonde had an impact on the girl within as well. It was an act of transformation, exploration, revolution, and self-discovery. It was as a platinum blonde that she found the courage to take some major life risks, break out of her comfort zone, and find herself as a young twenty-something navigating New York City. So as her blonde hair grew out and she became a brunette once more, a slightly older, slightly wiser Bill decided to embrace artistic changes within her music – embracing the classic rock influences and pop-oriented sounds she grew up listening to. The resulting EP is a sonically and emotionally charged reverie: An enchanting wonderland of guts and growth, all channeled through a litany of instantly memorable, easily lovable melodies and intoxicating, infectious beats.
Highlights abound on the journey from tender title track “Platinum Blonde” through “Hahaha,” the visceral and spirited “Hurts to Hold On,” and ultimately the cathartic closer, “Bodies.” “Lalala,” the EP’s final single (released in early August), is a definitive standout; an irresistibly catchy and carefree anthem (named after the Kylie Minogue classic “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”), it’s a a seductive celebration of music’s special ability to empower, inspire, uplift, and enrich our lives. “And it goes just like this, sing it with my lips like, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la,” Bill sings, deep in her own sun-kissed daydream. “And I swing with my hips and I blow you a kiss like la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.” And just like that, we’re hooked.
Then, of course, there’s “Hahaha,” which was named one of Atwood Magazine‘s Songs of 2024: Between the celestial warmth of Bill’s stunning falsetto, the infectious energy of her melodic guitar work, and the raw ache embedded deep in her songwriting, the indie pop artist won me over instantly with her infectious breakup anthem. As charming as it is churning – and incredibly creative – “Hahaha” is one of those broken-hearted confessionals that lifts you to greater heights, even as Bill dwells in her own achingly intimate depths.
Whether you’re singing “Hahaha” or “Lalala” or anything in-between, these songs capture a young artist coming into her own sound with grace, confidence, and an unapologetic determination to share her true self through music. What more could anyone possibly want, or hope to hear? As she unpacks themes of change inside and out, Stevie Bill dives into what it means for our most cherished relationships to evolve; for us to let go of loved ones and leave memories behind us as we grow and evolve; and, of course, for hair itself to transform. – Mitch Mosk
2024 was a big year for Essex-based artist, Thalia Raye. She released her debut EP, Shadows, which propelled her into a succession of gigs and festivals around the country, big TV appearances – and secured her a feature on David Gray’s 2024 single, “Plus & Minus.” Who doesn’t love Gray? The headline track on the Shadows EP is “Not A Heartbreak,” which I had the pleasure of seeing live, from a small stage in Harlow, Essex, when Raye was just getting on her feet in 2022. Even back then, the raw emotion, honesty, and vocal talent blew me away. I expect big things from Thalia Raye in 2025 and beyond. – Hamish Monk
A poet first and always, the Liverpudlian born Terell Farrell – known to the rest of the world by his artist name, TEE – has, for the better part of the past decade, been one of the UK’s best-kept secrets. In 2021 – after working alongside the likes of Little Simz, Ghetts, Cleo Sol, and N-Dubz – he grabbed hold of the mic and stepped into the spotlight, formally introducing himself and his vulnerable, visceral words through beautiful raps full of breathtaking passion. VALLEY FM, released in June, is his third project (following 2023’s LOOP and A Dozen Roses // A Love Story), and his most ambitious production to date. TEE himself has described the record as his most vulnerable – “the best version of myself” and “my statement to the world,” all of which is born out in the actual music – through achingly intimate, emotionally intense performances on songs like “don’t sleep” and “getaway,” the latter of which is a heated fever dream reckoning with the choice to stay in or leave a toxic relationship. TEE’s candid lyricism and his unique approach to songwriting (the man cares more about storytelling than he does a “catchy” chorus), combined with the dramatic moments he deftly crafts on every song, help make VALLEY FM a breathtaking world unto itself – one that aches through and through with the artist’s own raw, beautiful humanity. As TEE passionately sings on EP closer “make it”: “So here’s my toast to the ones on the road less traveled, ain’t just the strong ones that accept the call to la and la… This is all I’m made of, every morning, every struggle, this is blood, sweat, and tears, the only piece to my puzzle.” – Mitch Mosk
Happy accidents happen when you least expect them – and the results can be truly extraordinary. For The Brook & The Bluff, a series of recording sessions with absolutely no strings attached led to some of the most exciting music of their career. The Nashville band’s latest EP is a breathtakingly beautiful golden-hued reverie: A daydream come to life, full of sunny, sweet tones, sultry, seductive choruses, and spellbinding lyrics that ache inside and out. A breathtakingly beautiful blend of yacht rock, soul, folk, and classic ’70s pop, This Could All Go Nowhere could very well stay true to its name, and become a deep cut for the diehards; or it could be the start of a bold new era for one of the most exciting indie bands of the 2020s. Because that’s the thing about happy accidents: You never quite know where they’ll take you.
Released in November, This Could All Go Nowhere is a spiritually uplifting, smile-inducing kiss of sonic sunshine from a band that wants nothing more than for you to feel as good as they did while making these songs. Highlights abound throughout the EP’s 18-minute runtime, with each track inviting audiences to bask in a moment of sun-kissed warmth and dreamy connection. All five songs deserve to be listened to in full, starting with the record’s lead single and opener “Bad Bad News,” which kicks everything off with a sweet, seductive sonic heat laced with aching emotion. Rich, stacked vocal harmonies reminiscent of The Beatles and The Beach Boys add fresh layers of depth and feeling to the band’s performance, making the rise from gentle verses to soaring choruses all the more exhilarating:
These moments I lay here,
Staring at the ceiling fan,
the shadows are boxing
They fight with those slippery hands.
It goes on and on and on again that feeling
It goes on and on and on again
I feel like I’m falling apart.
Baby, it’s bad bad news,
but you should let me down easy
Darling, it’s sad but true you
need to let me down easy
Songs and EPs come and go all the time, but I’ve got a sneaking suspicion this latest batch will be sticking around for a long while. As irresistible as they are utterly infectious, these five tracks capture the magic of The Brook & The Bluff – a band who, at the end of the day, are having the time of their lives, whether or not we’re tuned in. – Mitch Mosk
With infectious indie rock magic and R&B/dream pop vocals, South Korean alternative quartet The Volunteers have never failed to deliver a propulsive and thrilling listening experience. On the band’s latest EP “L”, classic rock ‘n’ roll guitars and empowering percussions drive the resonant five tracks, as frontwoman Yerin Baek’s sweet-yet-haunting vocals ramp up drama and melancholy. Though not the most lyrically intricate, the charm of the EP lies somewhere else – precisely, its ability to evoke nostalgia in all its forms and powerfully salient memories through pure sonic greatnesss. The Volunteers tell an evocative and poignant story across a brief 18-minute EP, a beautifully immersive and dreamy rock project that is sure to captivate new and old listeners alike. – Isabella Le
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Atwood Magazine’s
Music of the Year
2024
