Since the beginning of her musical journey we’ve been able to witness Madelline develop into an insanely talented alt pop musician. Going from clean cut pop gems that get your body moving to the buoyant production in a matter of seconds, putting pop artists like Justin Timberlake and Jess Glynne to shame, to creating alternative pop anthems that make you feel like a badass as you strut stuff down the street. Her evolution is something to marvel over, amidst the clean and organised world, she’s that little bit of chaos that takes us on a whirlwind ride and gives us that little thrill we need to get through the day. With all that being said, it should become very clear why the title of her debut EP is an apt name choice because I can guarantee you I’ll have more than one NOISE COMPLAINT if I keep blasting this out. There’s literally no skips.
Opening with I don’t wanna be your fucking friend, a sassy and blunt track with forthright lyrics and production that gives off heavy Billie Eilish vibes. The hook is something you’ll find yourself humming under your breath for many weeks to come, especially when the throbbing bassline backs it up. Opinions soon follows and with this you enter your Disney villain moment with the sinister edge the soundscape offers, only becoming more daunting by the ominous vocal Madelline delivers. Makes you feel like a complete badass wherever you play it, plus it has ridiculously high replay value.
Bouncing between melancholy synths and lush string arrangements, kill u in my dreams is minimal but packs an almighty punch. Coming it at 1:54, it’s a short but sweet number that features some of Madelline’s best lyrics to date and the unorthodox melodic style is impossible hard to ignore. Daffodils is something that belongs on the soundtrack of MIDSOMMAR, haunting, weird and wonderfully fascinating this might be my favourite track off of the EP. We then end on the emotional climax of take it back, allowing us to venture behind the performative mask and see a more vulnerable side of the artist. Each note is filled with heartfelt emotion with an intimate production matching it, enhancing the evocative nature of the track to new heights in utterly beautiful fashion.
Blast this out and let the noise complaints come because this is an EP that needs to be played at full volume for the best experience imaginable. Stellar stuff.