Over the past few days, this five-track EP has heard its fair share of play in my home. Upon each completed revolution, one song is deemed my favorite of the bunch and anointed as supreme leader of the pack. Then, I step away from the album only to have one of the other four stuck in my head. The newly-crowned king is quickly ousted for another of the fresh and catchy choruses that leave a short EP crowded with options.
Apparently released back in November by New Zealand newcomer Lorde, The Love Club EP has not yet received the publicity it deserves. Sharing the entire five-pack on Soundcloud with free downloads will hopefully promote the name and ensure that Lorde provides the masses with a biography and, more importantly, a full-length album.
The obvious absence of mainstream production guarantees an advantage in the simplicity of each track. With very little to distract from gritty vocals and honest lyrics, “Royals” makes its quick reign a memorable one. Don’t let the voice behind those wide-ranging, song-driving vocals fool you — the singer is only 17. According to the internet she could be just 16. The all-knowing internet doesn’t seem to have much of a grasp on this talent from around the globe as most sites disagree even on her birth name, yet the funky, genre-confused style of Lorde is fantastic. And I don’t need the internet to tell me so.
For good reason, lyrical pattern is the focal point of each and every track. The singer, let’s call her Ella, impresses with her ability to change speeds and moods within a single verse. Title track “The Love Club” displays the largest spread of tempo and pitch in Ella’s voice while “Royals” brings the most creativity and fun. Like a “Thrift Shop” attack on designer expenditures, “Royals” bashes the standard for partying and the collective goal of most youth — despite being an adolescent herself. Each time “Royals” rules the EP, I share her ambitiously hilarious dreams and hope and pray her empire begins to colonize in the future.