Surrey pop-rock newcomers Seasonal have recently self-released their debut EP Bloom.

By Jane Howkins

Bloom is a rather impressive effort for a first release. Lead single Certainty made waves in the musical world, and the other four tracks on the EP are just as good, if not better.

The themes on Bloom are typical of the genre, with the lyrics mainly focusing on topics such as isolation, loneliness, and unrequited love. It does come across as a little cheesy at times, but for a new band that is to be expected, and in time their lyrics will mature.

Musically, Seasonal are more interesting. When most bands start out, their music tends to be rather basic and safe, whereas here Seasonal have pushed the boat out, experimenting with some different tempos and rhythms. Their music is largely pop-rock, but there are also emo and pop-punk elements, mixing together quite nicely to create an individual sound. There’s also a hint that Seasonal might be up for putting out some harder material in the future, with These Games showing some nice riffing that wouldn’t be amiss in a slightly heavier rock band.

Genre confines don’t seem to matter too much to the band, and that’s interesting, especially when most newcomers are simply trying to please enough people to buy their music. Bloom isn’t perfect, but Seasonal are definitely on the right track, and the EP certainly looks good for the future of the band. We have a feeling they might be open to some more experimentation next time around as well, which would be an excellent move.