‘Humid Nights’ is Eva Prowse ’s second solo album, following 2010s ‘I Can’t Keep Secrets’. The two are drastically different, here the Wellington songstress leaves behind her up tempo folky aesthetic for full blown synth pop. The songs are generally concise and relatively stripped back, consisting mainly of a few clear synthesiser parts, occasional guitar, bass, drum machine and vocals. The choices of sound are generally interesting, though the drums at times feel a bit too stock standard 808. Self-produced and recorded, Prowse seems inspired by the new wave synth pop artists of the ’70s and ’80s like Human League, Duran Duran and maybe even a bit of ’90s/2000s Euro dance pop (think Sophie Ellis-Bextor), but largely cuts the corny hooks and lyrics for a more modern approach reminiscent of Grimes’ tracks like Genesis. Final song 20th Century (a groovy highlight) features a very ‘Grimesy’ airy pentatonic quasi-Japanese intro synth line. Prowse probably shows the most folk influence in her lyricism, largely non repetitive and following some kind of narrative. My Lover, another standout track, exhibits more complex songwriting and arrangement. Prowse changes chords quickly and cleanly, following along with her vocal melody. The track gives way at about the halfway point for a baroque-styled guitar part before launching back into a choral arrangement. ‘Humid Nights’ is a tight collection of simple but effective alt-pop, upbeat music with lyrics and instrumentation that stand up to an engaged listen.