Olympia has been a project of Olivia Bartley’s since 2011, but it’s only in recent months that her music has started to reach the audience it deserves. Self Talk is an ambitious debut record, but executed with such conviction that any doubts Bartley couldn’t pull it off are immediately expelled.
The album starts off with Honey, whichglides at a pace you wouldn’t normally expect for a opening track. The stripped back musical arrangement suitably accompanies Bartley’s ethereal vocals, allowing listeners to get to the emotional core of the song. The pace quickens with the modern psychedelia of Smoke Signals, which is hard to listen to without developing a mild obsession. The track is Bartley at her most confident, and also showcases her enviable skills as a guitarist. The following track, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, is also upbeat and bold in nature, with a dreamy, shimmering chorus that again proves Bartley is a master of melody.
The acoustic-driven Somewhere to Disappear has a dark edge, heightened by Bartley’s haunting harmonies. Older single Tourists appears to be joyful, but once you listen carefully you’ll pick up on Bartley’s feelings of discontent. The songs on Self Talk are about much more than what’s on the surface, the album largely concerned with what Bartley describes as “coastal ennui”. Piano ballad Biscuits is Bartley at her most vulnerable, while Blue Light Disco comments on the infallibility of hope and also serves as a moment of sombre reflection.
Summing up Olympia is no easy task, with Self Talk exploring many different musical styles and themes to the point that no two tracks sound the same. The experimentation and pop sensibilities intrinsic to Bartley’s music are enthralling, distinguishing her as one of the most dynamic performers in Australia at the moment.
BY HOLLY PEREIRA
