EP Review: Maggie Lindemann – 'Paranoia'
Alt rock/pop singer Maggie Lindemann unleashes her true form on debut EP ‘PARANOIA’.
Balancing the fine line between cool alt pop and the burning fires of rock can be a dangerous task; it’s all too easy to slip and fall into the “try hard” category. But not Maggie Lindemann. On ‘PARANOIA’, she effortlessly fuses demonic guitars with heavenly vocals and switches between glam and gore as if the two were one and the same.
Though all eight tracks thrill with their own nightmarish colour palette, it’s three tracks in particular that highlight Maggie’s impressive shapeshifting abilities. Where ‘Crash and Burn’ – the EP’s break-up anthem - thrills with Paramore-esque prowess and angsty pop punk energy, ‘Love Songs’ treats us to a much more wholesome soundscape. Acoustic guitars mingle with gentle strings and pull you in for a warm hug as Maggie’s delicate vocals dance on golden melody lines, radiating a peaceful sense of calm. ‘PARANOIA’’s standout track however is ‘Different’: A song that combines both sides of the moon to create the most intoxicating listening experience. Calm verses carried by serene vocals and a hopeful bridge give way to a dark, magnetic chorus. Fusing heavy guitars with seductive beats, Maggie puts you on the brink of losing your head; all while acknowledging a truth most people spend their whole life ignoring: “I just want to be someone different than me sometimes.”
Packed with chunky guitars and layers upon layers of atmospheric electronica, ‘PARANOIA’ combines the best of both worlds. The result: a fever dream of 2000s grunge aesthetics infused with hook heavy pop sensibilities. At its core, the record is a coming of age, marking Maggie Lindemann’s transition from her ‘Pretty Girl’ beginnings into the strong, confident woman she always knew she was.
Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven