In her Miss You EP, listeners were given a different taste of Gabrielle Aplin. Using elements of upbeat pop/electronica, tangled between angelic vocals and heart-wrenching lyricism, it seemed to be a new direction for the songs.
Ten months later and Aplin has continued to earmark herself as a pop force to be reckoned with in her short, sharp gem of an EP, Avalon. The EPhas a pulsing beginning with opener ‘Waking up Slow’. A far cry from the slow, melodic Aplin of a few years ago, at first it feels a little jarring, but it really is a downright banger.
‘Say Nothing’ follows and is another upbeat, anthem-style piece of pop that will tug at the heart-strings of anyone that’s wanted someone they love to fight for them. ‘Used To Do’ feels the most closely aligned to the Aplin sound that many are familiar with. Offering a sparkling intro, the track is driven by light, acoustic guitar and pounding drums, while the singer’s vocals shine.
Overall, the new direction that Aplin takes on this release is well executed and deserves high praise. While some listeners might feel the loss of Aplin’s older sound, there’s certainly a lot to gain.
