The best EP of…
March: SAGES by Ólafur Arnalds and Loreen – “SAGES” (EP)
It took a little while to get an EP that really stood out of the pack, but what an EP it was once we did. Every time I am reminded of this collab I am surprised and delighted all over again. A fascinating exploration of soundscapes.
April: Minimal Wind – “Armageddon”
Putting last year’s gorgeous “Lullabies” onto an EP together with a strong Eesti Laul offering and previously unreleased music? Of course this got the nod as EP of the month! “Armageddon” also proves that Minimal Wind aren’t always minimalist, such as on excellent cut “Do You Wanna Be Lonely”.
May: Shkodra Elektronike: “shndrit!” (EP)
Shkodra Elektronike had an amazing year as proven by this EP that shows off the duo’s range. From their iconic Eurovision track to the clubby “Askund” or the more experimental 8 minute suite that is “E lirë”, there is a bit on offer here for everyone.
June: Sanja Vučić – “Trilogy”
Eurovision icon Sanja Vučić released a “Trilogy” of rock tracks this year, and I can confirm that I was a big fan. While opener “Raspadam se” was and remains my personal standout, fans of Sanja’s voice or of different sounds should definitely see if either of the other two click.
July: ANKA – “ETHNO PHONK”
A 6 track EP feels long until you realize how short all these tracks are. In return for these songs being too short, ANKA at least manages to treat us to some very fun musical ideas in which traditional elements and modern beats go head to head to create some “ETHNO PHONK”.
August: MARO – “Live Trio Sessions”
Even though she was extremely busy touring, MARO still found the time to release some music. The “Live Trio Sessions” are mostly new versions of existing MARO tracks with some new collaborators, with a surprise Harry Styles cover thrown into the middle of it all. The whole EP is just a very pleasant listen no matter the time and place.
October: Froukje, S10 – “Frok en Stien”
After working together a lot and ahead of performing multiple sold out shows together, S10 and her bestie Froukje treated us to a whole collab EP with “Frok en Stien”. The more beat-focused “Offline” is my personal pick for cut of the release, and that just shows how strong it is considering what it goes up against. And what songs are that? Piano-led singer-songwritery ballad “Misschien”, moody party track “Hart In Brand” and the previously released “Ik Haat Hem Voor Jou”, which all are strong competition.
November: Mia Nicolai – “sharing space among the stars”
If you are looking for a singer-songwriter with bags of potential waiting to be unleashed, keep an eye on Mia Nicolai. Her EP “sharing space among the stars” manages to thread the needle between being a taster chock full of variety while still managing to feel like a very coherent collection of tracks. Opener “chasing lullabies” and the closing title track in particular are excellent songs that feel like they are promising so much more to come.
Next Page: The very best albums of each month
Giwrgos Oiko