EP Review: Rosie Darling – 'Coping'

Broken hearted? No problem. Indie pop newcomer Rosie Darling turns that pain into beauty on new EP ‘Coping’.

There’s no denying that ‘Coping’ is a heartbreak record. Intimate and vulnerable, Rosie Darling paints a glittering world of heartache. Title track ‘Coping’ sets the mood with a cinematic intensity that feels at the same time comforting and painful, and the rest of the six track EP follows suit: a pool of flawless indie pop coated with overwhelming emotions. Rosie’s soaring vocals laced with hurt and defeat as she takes us along on a journey of self-reflection. “These songs represent my experience with relationships, friendships, and all of the emotional highs & lows that come with them,” she explains. “I hope that anyone who listens to these songs can relate and find their narrative within them.”

As relatable as it is healing, ‘Coping’ creates a safe space to feel vulnerable, throw yourself a pity party and eat your body weight in chocolate to a soundtrack of melancholic piano and introspective lyricism. “If it’s heavy for you then it’s heavy for me, too but it’s heavier for me without you,” Rosie sings on ‘Heavy’ that, infused with gentle electronica, has a distinct “dancing with tears in your eyes”-quality to it and allows for a little euphoria to seep into her songwriting and mingle with the sadness. 

Driven by urgency and the kind of sorrow that is all too easy to romanticise, ‘Coping’ draws you deep into Rosie Darling’s intoxicating brand of sound. Infused with an overarching sense of maturity, this EP offers a much-needed dose of emotional healing. Rosie adds: “Although my stories are important, I want to create space for listeners to reflect on their experiences and feel like they have somewhere to turn to as they navigate the highs & lows of their relationships!”

Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven

---