New York, USA-based pop artist Izzy Pingrey has appeared on this blog a couple of times before. She first came to my attention in May this year thanks to her track sick of it, and I quickly followed that up with a share of single narcissus. Both songs feature on her debut EP, exploring her adolescent life. It’s called junior.

By Graeme Smith

The EP opens with the aforementioned sick of it. In the context of the EP it provides a lively opening. Driving acoustic guitar opens things before Izzy’s expressive vocals come in. The lyrics are the right combination of melancholic and defiant, telling a story of learning to stick up for oneself. An anthemic chorus is an early highlight.

Narcissus continues the theme while introducing the story of a toxic friendship. It slows things down a bit with some wistful indie acoustic pop. There’s a relatability to its lyrics, and you can tell it’s a song written from hard-earned experience. Its lyrics are beautifully descriptive.

Perfume livens things up, reflecting on Izzy’s first experience of going to a party. A catchy chorus sees her soaring vocals contrasting a groovy, grungy instrumental arrangement, and perfectly punctuates the punchy, quick-fire verses.

Flatline rounds off the EP with a love story. It’s suitably dreamy, with a moody grooviness and emotional vocals. When we hit the chorus we are greeted by some big rock guitar and hints of RnB. It’s a great track for showcasing Izzy’s range and, in fact, she’s packed an impressive variety into the four tracks of her debut EP.

Incredibly given the maturity of her song writing, Izzy is only seventeen years old. She certainly has a bright future ahead of her and I’ll certainly be keeping an ear on how her sound develops. If you haven’t already caught one of our shares of her music then this debut EP is your perfect chance to get acquainted with her.

Junior was written and produced by Izzy with the help of her father. You can check it out below.