EP Review: Girlpuppy - 'Swan'
It’s fair to say Becca Harvey AKA Girlpuppy had a bit of a mixed bag of a lockdown. On one hand she lost her job in a bakery, but on a lighter note it proved to be a blessing in disguise as it meant she could channel her energy into writing and recording this EP which may have otherwise stayed on the shelf alongside yesterday’s bread.
While it may have been an uneasy time for her, this doesn’t come across on the record. ‘Swan’ is an incredibly easy listen throughout with its dreamy pace and beautifully delicate backing line which compliment Harvey’s soothing vocals like cream accompanies jam on a fresh out the oven scone. ‘Hide Out’ is a perfect example of the dreamlike escapism on offer here with synth chimes which feel like they’ve been lifted right out of a cloud.
It’s tricky to pick out one moment of magic from the five tracks as they all work so well as a unit with each song as vital as the last, however, the penultimate ‘As Much As I Can’ has a few secret ingredients in the form of looping guitar hooks, tea-towel drums and muddy basslines which make it rise slightly above the others.
Similarities with Phoebe Bridgers, Soccer Mommy and Alvvays aren’t far off the mark and it doesn’t take a trained ear to pick out where they’ve come from. Comparisons to heavyweights of the genre can often be a kiss of death and cause unwanted strain on an artist trying to breakthrough and find their voice but I don’t think it will do any harm here. On ‘Swan’ it’s clear Girlpuppy has the songs to back it up and the correlation with others in the field will only help her drift towards mainstream success if that’s a road she wishes to take.
Words by Richard Cobb