Album Review: VEPS - 'Dedicated To'
Norwegian alt-pop band Veps have unveiled their sophomore album, Dedicated To.
The record sees the band stick to their wonderfully DIY roots and imbue their sound with a new sense of maturity and growth. The record is altogether calmer than previous releases such as Oslo Park but maintains the fizzing energy they’ve become known for.
It's sometimes hard to believe that the band members of Veps are only 20 years old. Since officially starting the band aged 14, they’ve managed to stack up a list of serious accolades. From appearing on the lineup of international festivals such as The Great Escape, Reeperbahn and Scotland’s Stag & Dagger to a debut headline tour across the UK. All the while releasing a steady stream of solid songs. Veps once could have been considered precocious but with their sophomore album, they prove that they’ve simply been growing into themselves this entire time.
In Dedicated To Veps confidently delivers eleven bouncing alt-pop bops. Across the tracklist, the band explore experiences from travelling around the world and working out what they want from life in ‘Greetings From Peru’ to the perils of dating the wrong person in ‘Break & Entry’.
Previous body of work Oslo Park was referred to by the band as a love letter to their teenage years, and with this second album, the band turn outward to offer a heartfelt thanks to the people in their life.
Speaking on the album, the band explained: “we took most of the inspiration from the people we know and from the situations we saw them in. The title comes from just that. It’s a thank you to all the people that inspire us. It was written in one of the most hectic phases we have gone through as a band, but we hope the progress we’ve made comes to show in the songs”.
Opening with the wonderfully DIY ‘Break & Entry’, Veps’ first offering is a bit of a musical deviation from their previous releases. Instead of their usual classic indie rock instrumentals, Veps opt for a piano-driven score here - you can tell they’ve had a lot of fun composing throughout the record but ‘Break & Entry’ is a particularly shiny addition to their repertoire.
In ‘Say What’ Veps find a fresh and funny take on the age-old experience of waiting for a special someone to call. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics see Veps rattle through various methods of communication as they wait impatiently for that oh-so-important message: “I even plugged in the fax machine…I even looked for a pigeon on my roof”. The inclusion of snippets from voicemails to close out the track is a nice touch.
In Dedicated To, Veps utilise piano to propel the songs forward and imbue a sense of playful energy. In ‘The Ceiling Painter’, they explore the sore spot of missing someone, wonderfully summarising the tenderness with “so bittersweet to have someone I can say I miss”. Veps’ style of storytelling is endearing, weaving worlds of friendships, love and yearning: “did you know that a day feels like a week, and when you’re gone I reach for you in my sleep”.
In ‘Apple Trees’ the band show off their more sensitive side. The hauntingly beautiful track explores shifting perspectives on family as you grow up and gain the ability to see people more holistically. ‘Apple Trees’ takes a slight reprieve from Vep’s usual crashing energy. Instead, the intoning harmonies and inky buzz of the instrumental lift Dodon’s shimmering vocals.
Veps lean heavily into their alt indie-pop sensibilities in the jagged, buzzy ‘For Thirsty Dogs’. It's easy to imagine this song being used to lighten up the setlist after some of their more pensive tracks at a liveshow. But, it goes without saying that the ultimate crowd pleaser from this album is bound to be the resounding ‘So Speak’. This gritty track is the angriest song of the collection, featuring gravelly guitars and an earworm chorus.
Later songs in the tracklist such as ‘A Siren’s Song’ or ‘It’s Killing My Darling’ are also well worth a listen. Here the band opt for buttery vocals complemented by reverbing riffs.
With Dedicated To Veps look set to join the legions of excellent alternative indie bands fronted by incredible women. With acts like Porridge Radio, Goat Girl or mary in the junkyard, Veps sit comfortably. And, as they solidify their sonic identity with each release, they’re definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Words by Ella McLaren
