Writing songs that draw influence from a range of respected artists, Auckland singer/songwriter The Low Low aka Catherine Walker has then created her own melodic sound which is not only distinctive but welcome in the landscape of today’s pop music.

The opening strings in Wellspring create a welcoming landscape of sound, Walker’s vocals, soaked in the perfect amount of reverb, ranging beautifully above the strings.

The EP’s first single, I Had The Thought, contrasts with a more pronounced drum rhythm and insistent synth, setting up a faster-paced and rockier electronica-flecked song that highlights The Low Low’s musical diversity.

With Birthday At The Beach, the tempo slows again, Walker’s warm vocals coming in with the sparse melancholic piano, joined later by her four-piece string section.

Brought right to the fore, the changing piano motif suggests much more than might be expected of a song about a birthday at the beach.

Melancholic beauty seems the EP’s core, the backdrop being loneliness and recovery from soul-destroying sadness.

Drink It Down takes us back to the full band sound, Walker’s plaintive lyrics contemplating what she needs to do to find a friend.

Closing up with Girl Like You, ‘The Low Low’ moves into a more conventional territory, lyrically opening up to all the conflicting emotions and messages that led to the writing of these songs.

Overall, this is a solid second release. It is polished, creatively mixed and sounds fantastic. Recorded and mixed by Tom Healy at The Lab and mastered by Jared Hirshland, this is an alt-pop EP that warrants multiple listens.