Freak Slug - Loose Tooth And A Short Skirt

Even for an EP, ‘Loose Tooth And A Short Skirt’ feels like a decidedly short and sweet affair, at no point overstaying its welcome within its five-track mini-feast. Opener ‘Honest Man’ sees Freak Slug - aka Manchester-based Xenya Genovese - croon over a splendour of spirited, jangly indie laced with hints of brass, not unlike London contemporaries Ugly. ‘Miss June’ leans into the anthemic, its effervescent indie pop evoking nostalgic summer days spent in festival fields. 

Taking a turn for the more sedate, the chorus of ‘Blue Eyes’ is a leisurely serenade: “Meet me by the seaside / Tell me about the dreams you had,” she sings, on a track which coalesces between breezy serenity and scuzzy ‘90s grunge - a mollifying sonic antidote to any coastal trips beleaguered by hungry seagulls. ‘My Only Friend’ features her saccharine-yet-grungy vocals washing across dreamy soundscapes, before closer ‘Does It Matter’ meanders into the whimsical, a near-heavenly pop odyssey. In all, it’s a wonderful example of an artist using the medium of an EP to showcase some welcome sonic exploration.