Holly Walker's debut EP, Bedroom Bangers, collects together four very different tracks which feels more like a show piece for an artist with a more seasoned career under her belt. These four tracks but a lot of other artists "A" tracks to shame.

Walker's four songs, 'Modern Life', 'Penelope', 'Sterile Facile' and 'Panic Breeds Panic', fuse classical piano riffs with scatty, low-fi drum programming and provocative, up-front vocals for a total original sound.

The lead track, 'Modern Life' is a wonderful sideways swipe at modern Internet culture, in particular social networking sites. Her voice is powerful when it needs to be, yet loses none of its beauty when she's singing softly. Her backing harmonies are also worthy of note - like a siren dragging you into the depths of her music.

While 'Modern Life' is easily the most catchy and memorable track, I personally preferred the moving 'Panic Breeds Panic' which has a moving story at its heart.

All four tracks here have something very different and special to offer and if this is the attention to detail that Walker puts into her EPs then I'm looking forward to hearing an album from her in the near future.

9

Nick Smithson