Somebody’s Child, 20-Something
Self-release
The world loves guitar-indie with heart. Look at the astronomical success of Sam Fender, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Viola Beach… too many to name. And latest to the fray with 20-Something, a debut EP that’s as dreamy and warm as they come, Somebody’s Child is ready to have us all falling in love. Our eyes have been on him since the start of the year, and this release is everything we could have hoped for.
At just four tracks long, 20-Something is definitely short and sweet. But in keeping it concise, Somebody’s Child (the pseudonym of just one Irish singer-songwriter whose name remains secret) avoid having any kind of repetitiveness that one of the aforementioned bands has definitely come under fire for. 20-Something is comprised of four distinct, and distinctly excellent tracks, each bringing a different flavour of irresistible to the mix.
EP opener TV Screens is an undeniable festival-ready anthem. A pacey opening riff, flickering countermelodies, and a vocal line that absolutely begs to be sung along to relentless Circa Waves crowd style, it’s a sunbeam in three and a half minutes: a sheer joy. Somebody’s Child’s aptitude for writing songs that are just genuine fun absolutely shines; TV Screens is delightfully lowkey and high energy at the same time, with choruses that are a straight-up riot mashed up with gleaming guitar lines and shimmering instrumentation.
It’s not all sunshine and blue skies though – Somebody’s Child knows how to churn out the darker tunes too, and it’s well documented in the EP’s last two tracks. We Could Start A War has the churning energy and angst of Sam Fender (as well as being reminiscent of his striking vocal style), and Y.M.A.W.B.I.L is a positive supernova of stripped-back builds to arena-ready hooks. Somebody’s Child’s vocals are consistently soaring, so no matter how the song goes, it always becomes a huge tune ready to be sung along to at the top of your lungs.
20-Somethings’ softest moment comes on track two, titled Hold Me Like You Wanna. It’s the quintessential indie love song, complete with dreamy guitar lines, a slowed-down pace, and a chorus that’s equal parts longing, heartbreak, and tenderness. Hold Me Like You Wanna twinkles in a way that’s more swaying than the rest of the EP – if TV Screens is bright sunshine, We Could Start A War and Y.M.A.W.B.I.L are dusky nighttime, Hold Me Like You Wanna is hazy, glowing twilight.
Somebody’s Child has to be the sorest loss we’re feeling this year, given that festival season is on hold. 20-Something confirms that he is exactly the artist who would have pulled unprecedented crowds to the smaller stages, wowed their socks off, and then enjoyed the kind of catapult to fame unique to Indie’s Next Big Thing. We want nothing more to be in a dusty field having a dance to TV Screens right now, but we’ll settle for sticking it on in the garden and showing the neighbours their new favourite artist.
20-Something is out now.
