Review | Wallice – Off The Rails

Label: Self-released

23 years old and already making inaugural waves with her distinctly emotive sound and poetic lyricism, Wallice is set to shine as the next coming-of-age pop wonder. Focusing on tales of teenage struggles and navigating young adulthood, Wallice’s ruminations have reached far and wide from her hometown of L.A. Lamentations come aplenty with her debut EP ‘Off The Rails’, with a dazzling six tracks that offer a glistening snapshot into her inspirations and life growing up as an American teen.

Opening with the titular track, ‘Off The Rails’, Wallice’s fearless attitude takes centre stage through soft vocal harmonies and an insistent electronic backdrop. Quintessentially and perfectly bedroom-pop, the scene is set, and crescendos ensue.

Released last October, ‘Punching Bag’ acts as the lead single of the EP, with over 1.6 million streams on Spotify since its inception, the single tackling unrequited friendships has a tantalising lo-fi beat, a blissful vocal performance, and boppy guitar strokes that make for the perfect summer anthem.

The anti-fuckboy anthem that gained her critical acclaim, ‘Hey Michael’, takes its place as the fourth track on the EP. Tongue in cheek and utterly unfiltered, Wallice talks about the tumultuous nature of dating in the modern world and the pitfalls that come along with it. Compelling and completely compulsive, it’s impossible to not find yourself completely immersed in Wallice’s vocal performance.

Ambient and bold, ‘Dramamine’ features an enthralling electronic beat and lush vocals that would leave Beabadoobee blushing. Intimate and self-reflective, the cut offers the EP  a new lease on life through a relatable and germane narrative.  Moving through to the closing track, we find ourselves met with deep and sultry vocals and dark-pop tones with a layered composition that is unmatched.

Wallice is sure to be a name we’ll be hearing more often.