7/10

Having spent the last few years absorbing influences from a range of other artists including Paul McCartney, Steve Earle, Tom Petty and many more to form his signature sound, Irish singer and songwriter Dylan E. Crampton was always an artist looking to create something new from something old. While his contemporaries were always trying to replicate what had come before to find themselves, the frontman was taking familiar steps but always looking to add his own distinct personality into each of his releases as he now delivers his self-titled new EP, a record that is very much a reflection of his own diverse interests.

Opening up with the deceptively titled 'When I'm Sad', an offering that seems to prepare us for the light and upbeat collection ahead, 'Dylan E. Crampton' quickly delves into his own brand of irreverent and sweeping compositions that seem more playful than what we could have hoped for. The track 'On & On' fills itself with a these bonkers percussion sounds that seem to throw us off our guard, while 'Pretty Clothes' appears almost tame by comparison, despite having an almost cheeky self-referential guise that feels like another odd and unexpected flair is waiting just around the corner.

It certainly delivers a breath of fresh air to the usually downtrodden singer-songwriter sound that is quickly becoming an almost echo-chamber of ideas. Dylan E. Crampton is one of those rare artists like The Divine Comedy and Father John Misty that uses humour to create a far more engaging sound, and this new EP feels like the perfect introduction to his unusual personality.