Hailing from the Otago seaside town of Waitati, four-piece Spinster ’s sound is simple on the surface – it’s just voice, bass, tambourine and a drum or two – but diving deeper, it’s full of intricate arrangements and intriguing sonic embellishments. 

These elements are skillfully blended to create soulful arrangements reminiscent of jazz, folk, R&B and hip-hop. Most captivating is the varied use of vocal techniques, including rapping, harmonies, spoken word and scat.

Crowds (with Looking) begins acapella. The merging of two voices is instantly striking.
The percussion comes in at sets the scene for the EP – layers of vocals built around beats. 

Second track A Cool Breeze has silky vocals built over a low bassline and steady tambourine beat.

“The earth bleeds from its scars, keep taking what’s not ours” “Did we win yet, did we win the human race?” Earth Bleeds ends the album with an environmental commentary that broaches consumerism, capitalism and climate change.

Bass and vocals are percussive throughout the five songs of the EP. Smooth, silky harmonies provide a nice contrast. Often changing tempo mid-song creates space for the vocals to soar and the listener to dwell on the thought-provoking lyrics.