Having not even formed at the advent of 2022, gloomy june showcase their bouncy alternative pop sound on debut EP Popsick
With the release of their initial three singles, gloomy june have established themselves as a fresh face in the alternative pop/rock scene following their emergence from the ashes of The Y Axes, with a more concise and focused approach.
Their debut EP Popsick is a body of work that cements their place as an outfit to be reckoned with and taken notice of. The outfit’s peppy debut single ‘Save Anyone’ opens things up, setting the tone nicely with its thoughtful lyrics and soaring singalong vocals.
The track is followed by ‘Always Gonna Let You Down’, another track released prior to the EP, and a track that features some of the more infectiously poppy moments on the release. It has become an obvious and redundant trope to compare female fronted alternative bands to Paramore at this point, but this track feels like it would fit in seamlessly on After Laughter, more for its bouncy, inescapably catchy melodies than the vocals, in which Alexi Belchere showcases a really distinctive flair and sense of dynamism. A theme that reoccurs throughout the EP is the dissonance between the narratives of the tracks and the sound, often making carefree, alt-pop bops surrounding themes that feel altogether more anxious and sad.
This theme is maintained on the next track, the final single released ahead of time, ‘This Party Is a Warzone’. The track feels like a burst of kinetic energy and drive, as lyrics about regret and hazy nights met with the same level of indifference as the outfit blitz through the track as if they’re writing about good times and boundless fun.
‘Go Fast’ is the first unheard track on the EP, and showcases a bit more nuance and fleshes out the sound a bit more. While the singles are more in your face and focused on having the most catchy and exciting hooks as possible, and do a stellar job of it, ‘Go Fast’ opens up the outfit’s sonic world a little, and provides some really thoughtful and engaging moments.
‘Tinderbox Heart’ closes things out and feels every inch like the climatic swansong that the EP deserves. From its poignant lyrics, to their ever-memorable little passages and melodies that interweave through the fabric of everything on this EP.
Popsick is a really refreshing release from an outfit that didn’t even exist when the beginning of 2022 rolled around. The outfit are stacked with hook-laden appeal and bouncy, infectious melodies, and their juxtaposition of sad songs with happy, danceable sounds shows that there is more than what meets the eye with the outfit. With what seems to be a prolific sense of work rate and a penchant for churning out instantly memorable tunes, we can’t wait to hear what the outfit have to offer next, and have a feeling we won’t have to wait too long.
