EP Review: VEPS - 'Open The Door'
In their debut EP, Oslo all-girl quartet Veps builds the perfect bridge between the unique and the familiar. Open the Door is a gorgeous blend of 90’s angst and raw instrumentals, and it’s a debut that’s beyond promising.
It’s the variety in the tracks that exhibit such extraordinary versatility. No two songs sound the same, each portraying refreshing characteristics that give them all their own identity. ‘Girl On TV’ opens things with gentle acoustics and ethereal harmonies, ‘Oliver’ accurately captures feelings of frustration with its rising drums, and ‘Colorblind’ beautifully concludes everything with a catchy yet relaxing guitar riff.
There’s further range even in the tone of the album. It switches between highs and lows accordingly - there’s a song for every melancholy mood. Alongside heart-wrenching lyrics depicting feelings of loneliness to sombre guitars, there’s dreamily nostalgic love songs and passionate rage. The almost aggressive contrast between the raw, slow beginning and the upbeat, rhythm-heavy finale indicate that Veps’ strongly developed sound is not defined by one melody alone.
Open the Door has no clear beginning and no clear ending. It starts abruptly, ends suddenly, and everything in between falls as a continuation. As a result, it’s more like a collection of the best than a closely linked album, making it completely perfect to listen to on a loop. It’s the unsure conclusion that leaves you wanting more.
Amongst all of this is a general sense of familiarity. Open the Door is far from being a direct copy of the sounds that precede it - a gentle inspired mash-up of the 80’s and 90’s - but there’s something recognisable in its angsty riffs and dreamy feel. Even the voices of Laura Dodson and Helena Mariero Olasveengan somehow feel like old friends. These influences and similarities are used as the building blocks for creating something purely and cleverly unique. It’s identifiable enough to be appealing, but refreshing enough to be an utter joy to listen to.
As far as first EPs go, Open the Door is pretty remarkable. If the vast talent and versatility showcased by Veps is anything to go by, there’s a bright future ahead of them.
Words by Caitlin Mincher