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Live Review: Eilish Gilligan finds magic on 'S.M.F.Y'

12 February 2018 | 11:34 am | Max Lewis

Melbourne artist Eilish Gilligan has struck gold once again with 'S.M.F.Y', a simple yet effective 80s tinged synth-pop banger.

With a total of four singles to her name Melbourne singer-songwriter EILISH GILLIGAN has cemented herself as one to watch in the world of Aussie electro-pop. She's come a long way as the lead of Frida, as well as a touring vocalist for Japanese Wallpaper - her latest cut 'S.M.F.Y' is the perfect example of her strengths as a solo artist.

Earlier tracks like 'The Feeling' showed off her boppy synth-heavy sound with a generous helping of 80s glitz, whereas the later single 'Creature of Habit' showed a more melancholic, dark electronic style akin to Banks. With 'S.M.F.Y' she's back on the pop train with a deliciously retro style that ticks all the right boxes.

It was right from the start I knew I was going to adore this song - with arpeggiated synth bloops and a bright, contemplative bassline the track is a wonderful throwback, yet pairs nicely with the more modern dance beat. Eilish's songwriting is paired back nicely, with simple yet effective lyrics that instead let her masterful hooks do all the talking. Indeed, where previous tracks were instrumentally minimal with a focus on vocal performance, 'S.M.F.Y' instead lets you luxuriate in layers of twinkling synths, especially during the chorus which lacks any main vocals.

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With 'S.M.F.Y', Eilish Gilligan has not only dropped her best effort yet, but also shown remarkable flexibility as an artist. To play with different styles so effortlessly is the hallmark of a talented artist, and with every sound she's tackled so far, whether its alt-tinged dark electronica or 80s-adjacent synthpop, she's knocked it out of the park. If this is what she's starting 2018 with, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

IMAGE BY GIULIA GIANNINI McGAURAN

WORDS BY MAX LEWIS

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