8/10
With their debut EP ‘Career Day’, trio Big Fear has delivered a sonically diverse and musically refined range of atmospheric alternative pop that triumphs in its balancing of euphoria and edge. Soaked in electric texture and swirling vocal harmony, there is something both haunting and energetic about the carefully combined five-track collection.
Gritty, live instrumentals countered by industrial synths and prevailing vibrant rhythms make for a bold and unique blend of sound that succeeds in generating a consistent misty mood. A lyrically poetic and sonically adventurous feat in narrative, the EP exists as a series of dialogues that serve to comment on modern culture. Sultry yet technically aggressive, track “Culture Cannibal” packs a punch with intense drums and bass, an edgy melodic hook, and evocative layered vocals. The first track on the album, it is also the most rock-inspired.
“Sisyphus” and “Beautiful Hands” shift gears into glossier territory while simultaneously retaining the trio’s bite. The former is buoyant and even deceptively bright with shimmering synths masking a deeper interrogation of appearance, image, and the commodification of identity. “Beautiful Hands” is light and lush with movement, its abundance of sounds and effects creating dream-like ambience.
Cinematic and beat driven, “Money” pits a surgeon against an influencer in a modern-day morality play. Track “Mildew” is a standout in its careful diction and lyricism, that combined with satisfying breaks and drops, makes for an intense development of momentum.
Fronted by the magnetic Alice Edwards, whose vocals alternate between spectral and sharp, Big Fear showcases masterful ability as well as strong intent with this soaring debut. Across the EP, producer Charlie Andrew (alt-J, Wolf Alice, David Glimour) establishes a vibrant and distinct sound, while Edwards experiments with pertinent, dystopian storytelling.
‘Career Day’ is unique in its rendering of the cerebral and visceral. Heavy themes of climate collapse, digital identity, fascism, and mental illness seem enlightened by inspired execution and thrilling delivery. What emerges from the collaborative efforts of Alice Edwards, Jack Wilkinson, and Ben Crone is music that feels both refreshingly originative and culturally attuned.
