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Live Review: Erthlings 'Bridges' is an effervescent indie-pop delight

3 September 2018 | 9:45 am | Max Lewis

Sydney indie-pop fourpiece Erthlings have dropped their debut 'Bridges', and it's a stunning slice of indie-pop with a unique mix of old and new.

What were you doing when you were 16? I was in Year 10, shocking everyone in my music class by talking about Animal Collective because I was exactly that kind of edgy teen. A recent singing to the great Future ClassicERTHLINGS and a Sydney quartet doing much more with their youth than I ever did, and their sparkling debut 'Bridges' is the perfect proof of this.

Erthlings have been writing songs since they were 9, just in case you needed another dose of "Oh man, I've wasted my life!" But it's not about you, it's about the fact that since Erthlings formed at an inner-city music school, they've been honing their craft of perfect indie pop, and it definitely shows. Their music is dense and dreamy, owed in part to vocalist Issy's synaesthesia, that neurological condition that makes your brain associate colours with things like music.

As a debut, 'Bridges' is an absolute stunner. In those special moments where the track opens up it's got that simple, laid-back feel of 90s indie rock, replete with dense layers of sounds and a calm, contemplative vibe. The track's quieter moments have a much more modern flair, with synths and vocal samples adding some nice variation between the rockier moments. The mix is really nicely thick; everything is audible while still maintaining a subtle wall-of-sound kind of vibe, and I'm absolutely gaga about the way the cymbals on the drums have been compressed in that really raw way. It's a perfect blend of old and new styles that, honestly, I can't get enough of.

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'Bridges' is really one of those tracks you have to give a nebulous label like 'indie-pop' to because there's so many amazing ideas and sounds that its hard to box in. According to Issy, that comes naturally to Erthlings. “It’s never been a weird thing for us that we’re a young, all-female band. We’ve never thought about it twice. I think we’re doing what most people in music are doing. We’re just trying to write about what we know.” 'Bridges' shows that formula is working flawlessly for them, and I'm so psyched to see where it takes them next. In the meantime, you can catch Erthlings at BIGSOUND in early Septermber, and later on supporting G-Flip on her Sydney headlining tour. Check the dates below!

ERTHLINGS LIVE DATES

Wed 5 Sept - Laruche @ 8:10 - 8:40PM (Bigsound) - Brisbane

Thurs 6 Sept - The Foundry @ 9:10 - 9:40PM (Bigsound) - Brisbane

Wed 12 Sept - The Lansdowne (supporting G Flip) - Sydney

Thurs 13 Sept - The Lansdowne  (supporting G Flip) - Sydney

Fri 14 Sept - The Lansdowne (supporting G Flip) - Sydney

IMAGE BY DANI HANSEN

WORDS BY MAX LEWIS

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