Sink With Me is Billy Stuart’s debut solo EP, released on 9 October 2026 and consisting of five songs. From Sacramento, the singer has played guitar since 2002 and has previous experience performing in a hardcore punk band and a doom metal band.
By Eleanor Banyard
Opener Downtrend begins with a catchy, upbeat guitar riff that continues throughout the track, mixed with vulnerable, raw vocals. Despite the energetic instrumentals, the lyrics provide a deep emotional insight into the narrative being told. As the song progresses, the singer spirals further: “I’m clutching, I’m holding onto the words that you spoke … I’m pleading, I’m hoping just to see if you still care”.
The Open Door also begins with a guitar melody. However, this song is more serene and calming with enquiring lyrics: “Tell me where I’m supposed to go, when this place has been my only home/ Tell me how I’m supposed to feel, when everything around me isn’t real”. The Open Door is an introspective and thoughtful track which urges the listener to ask themselves the same questions. The slower and quieter instrumentals merge with the vocals to highlight the lyrics of the song.
Reprieve pauses the EP in the middle with a two minute instrumental. The combination of soft guitar strums and clear piano notes establishes a tranquil and smooth melody. Despite the lack of vocals on this track, the song continues the tone from the previous two instalments on the EP.
Swan Dive is a nostalgic reflection on time gone by: “Lines on our faces start to show that clearly now, time has slipped us by / Promises to reconnect have all fallen through, I’ll never know why”. The instrumentals add to the grief of losing time with calming guitar riffs that provoke these deeper thoughts. Stuart also contemplates running away from the inevitable with “and I’ll scream to drown out these old memories haunting me, I can’t escape my past”.
Closer Sink With Me shifts the tone of Stuart’s new collection. The beginning of the track starts with his classic catchy guitar riff mixed with profound lyrics about guilt and connection. Yet, in just under a minute when the song reaches the chorus, the volume picks up in the background instrumentals. This shift highlights the earnestness and intimate honesty which the singer expresses in this narrative.
The EP Sink With Me establishes Stuart as an artist who balances engaging instrumentals paired alongside deep introspective lyrics. He focuses on feelings of guilt, loss, and nostalgia through his tracks to create an emotive and thought-provoking collection. It’s out now, and you can listen to it below.