Emily Campbell
Following her debut EP in 2020 ‘Falling Asleep at the Wheel’, Holly Humberstone on the 12th of November 2021 released her second EP ‘The Walls Are Way Too Thin’ which sees her continue her trend of melancholy songs twinged with sadness but also a hope for the future. Emily Campbell reviews.
The up-and-coming 21-year-old artist from Grantham has in a short time achieved so much which is shown in her 2022 BRIT nomination for the Rising Star award. In under two years, she has impressively gained a mass following for her honest and raw lyrics that explore the transition to adulthood and her experiences of heartbreak. Her music takes inspiration from the likes of Lorde, Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers. Furthermore, she has achieved over 100 million streams and has amounted to over 2.4 million followers on Spotify. She has recently announced on Instagram that she will be joining Olivia Rodrigo on her 2022 American tour, which will expand her audience base further.
Humberstone’s title song The Walls Are Way Too Thin, while being upbeat, effectively explores her own experience of growing up and moving away from home, and the new challenges this brought. The music video that accompanies the single shows her in enclosed spaces which reflect the lyrics’ depiction of a claustrophobic and overwhelming situation which she just wants to escape – ‘‘I want to be out of the picture.’’ This song and her EP in general are innovative, using electronic sounds such as electric guitars and synthesisers to give the song multiple layers of sound. For example, in The Walls Are Way Too Thin, there are many instances where small riffs add colour to the driving bass line that continues throughout most of the song. In addition to this, her voice is in some places double tracked, sometimes with a slight delay which gives it depth and builds the vocal texture. Her vulnerability is uncovered briefly when only an acoustic guitar accompanies her vocals before the last chorus.
Haunted House is the most stripped back song of the EP, with its use of simple pure melodies and light piano instrumental. Similar to in The Walls Are Way Too Thin, the vocals towards the end of Haunted House evolve through the use of production techniques such as double tracking, distortion and delay. Haunted House explores her family home and the experience of leaving and returning. It is very different from other songs on the EP, but this aids the EP’s success as it allows thee songs to stand out from each other.
This theme of escape features in many of her songs, which is perhaps why such sad topics are accompanied by seemingly upbeat melodies, which gives them a melancholy atmosphere
Many of her songs explore common experiences of heartbreak and failed relationships. In Thursday, she explores her own experience of rejection and unrequited love. The lyrics are sad but fueled with frustration as she seems to wish she could just move on and not be nostalgic. Similarly in Scarlett she effectively explores her friend Scarlett’s relationship, which was very one-sided, and the messy, long breakup that happens as a result. It also explores the positive repercussions, for she can now escape and move on. Friendly Fire contrastingly explores the crumbling of a relationship because she herself was no longer happy, but also the feeling of not wanting to let that person down. This theme of escape features in many of her songs, which is perhaps why such sad topics are accompanied by seemingly upbeat melodies, which gives them a melancholy atmosphere. Her lyrics and accompanying sound are often contradictory, but it works.
The EP features Please Don’t Leave Just Yet, Humberstone’s first collaboration with The 1975’s Matty Healey, written during lockdown. It takes inspiration from the 1975’s album ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’, with its exploration of online dating and the uncertainty and regret that can come with it. The lyric of ‘’I think I gave a little too much’’ depicts this feeling of unrequited love which Humberstone perhaps experienced. The song’s title further explores the attempt to try and get over a relationship that hasn’t worked despite still missing that person. This song, similarly to The Walls Are Way Too Thin, uses electronic beats production techniques to distort her voice. It blends lots of different sounds and samples vocal lines in which the pitch has been completely changed to create a high, almost screechy sound. These features are often seen in The 1975’s songs.
Overall, for a second EP it is very successful. The songs are heartfelt and vulnerable and use an innovative electronic style. Her music also effectively highlights topics which connect to people’s own experiences of relationships and growing up. Humberstone is certainly one to watch in the music world.
Emily Campbell
Featured image courtesy of Chuff Media. No changes made to this image. Permission for use granted to Impact.
In-article images courtesy of @hollyhumberstone via instagram.com. No changes made to these images.
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