A gripping display of electro-pop that shifts seamlessly between dance-ready charisma and emotive introspection, Garden of Edie is the sophomore EP from Boorloo/Perth-based artist EDIE. Collaborating with producer Calvin Bennett, she delivers dark synths and driving dance beats amidst explorations of toxic relationships, temptation, and self-discovery. “This EP is about figuring out who I am in my 20s,” EDIE says. “Exploring a range of feelings from happiness to sadness to confusion. It’s cathartic and raw, and I hope it can resonate with someone out there!”
“Fall of Man” opens the EP with heartrendingly melodic allure. “Never on the same page anymore,” EDIE’s dreamy vocals lament, exuding a sense of disappointment and retrospection as mellow synths and harp-like effects infuse. The ensuing “now I watch the fall of man” chorus resonates in its rhythmic additions and soaring vocals, capturing the ache of fruitlessly trying to change someone you love. “Burning” arrives next, moving from pulsing guitars and lush synth interplay into a hooky, anthemic alt-pop feeling. “The house is burning down. No it’s not safe for us now,” EDIE’s magnetic vocals let out, the punctuating “you let it burn down” being especially affecting, and thematically continuing the opener’s post-relationship introspection.
“Should I start praying for my savior? Because I can never find the answer,” EDIE’s vocals stir with a spacey serenity on “Chemical,” another highlight that excels in its arp-y synth deepness amidst the accelerated “is it chemical?” hooky refrain. The subsequent “did I fall from grace?” sequence enthralls in its climactic Röyksopp-esque synth maneuvers. Its savvy electro-pop production melds with relatable insights on obsession and lust. The EP’s title track then closes the release out, strutting a vibrantly contagious electronic pop allure. “Always changing, but I’m always myself,” EDIE’s vocals progress into a dance-ready chorus, beckoning to “just wanna dance” with friends in a carpe-diem send-off, aesthetically resembling a cross of Charli XCX and Chappell Roan. Full of hooks and stellar production, Garden of Edie is an excellent EP from EDIE.
