Phoebe Green, IDK
Chess Club
After releasing one of our favourite EPs of 2020 in I Can’t Cry For You, Phoebe Green has a tough act to follow – but she does so effortlessly, with IDK. Hotly tipped by pretty much everyone thanks to her darkly confessional lyrics, shimmering nu-indie sound and effervescent instrumental layering, with every release Green proves more and more why she’s shaping up to be one of the scene’s favourite songwriters.
She’s got a knack for sardonic vulnerability that’s almost painful, as we saw all over I Can’t Cry For You, be it in the brightness of tracks like Reinvent or in the darker moments. IDK sits somewhere between the two, a tale of tension aptly conveyed in the swirling twitch of the synths that form the groundwork of the tune, as well as in Green’s intimate vocal delivery. IDK is packed with precarious emotional shifts, from the talk-sung deadpan opening to the hazy melody lines in the drowsy chorus sections – IDK swings between on-the-nose realism and dreamy abstractions, but is always totally tied down by Green’s unmistakeable charisma.
There’s something of the early Wolf Alice in how compelling Green is, even in a song that sounds so laidback, which just goes to show exactly why she’s rising so fast. IDK is a total demonstration of the kind of spot-on songwriting talent that feels so charming and authentic, but also has this air of cool about it that’s so inviting. Green continues to refine her sound, and with numerous festival appearances lined up for the summer, there’s no doubt that this will be her year (again!).
IDK is out now.
