ratbag - kissing under an (almost) full moon

Two years after releasing her playfully phantasmic debut EP ‘why aren’t you laughing?’, New Zealand alt-pop riser ratbag - real name Sophie Brown - returns with a fresh glimpse into her surreal, meticulously crafted world. Expanding upon the compelling introduction made on her debut, this two-part EP explores the duality of womanhood: the euphoria of self-realisation and the oppressive shame that can accompany the pursuit of acceptance. Confronting her experience of losing herself in someone else, on opener ‘look what you’re doing to me’ she navigates her queer identity, surrendering to a romance that is both intoxicating and sacrificial. The track is possessed by a grotesque edge – “When we touch bones I don’t even mind, do you see what you’re doing to me? / If you asked nice I’d give you my eyes, do you see what you’re doing to me?” – her vulnerability heightened by swells of synths and skittish string tones. ‘juliet & juliet’ follows with fluffy pop drama and flirtatious charisma, showing the lighter side of a head-over-heels love affair before the quick-burn ecstasy begins to fade on ‘lose her’. Despite the whirlwind of self-deprecation and looming dread in the lines “Loser / I understand I’m a loser just for you” and “I’m gonna lose her / If she don’t dance again”, the track is an anthemic centrepiece, the energy cultivated across the previous two songs reaching a fever pitch against a tight drum and bass rhythm and dizzying electronic melodies. A sudden introduction of keys and a saxophone then harmoniously leads into the lofty strut against “all the boys being dumb” on ‘king of kingston’, blending sharp commentary and sly bravado. As ratbag pushes the boundaries of her writing and production style, ‘kissing under an (almost) full moon’ proves itself to be a daring experiment gone incredibly right. Embracing a full spectrum of emotion, her introspections on love and self-discovery capture both beauty and chaos. An EP that is rich and imaginative, it validates ratbag’s spot as a distinct artistic voice in the alt-pop scene.