Slide - 'Things I Tell Myself' [EP Review]

Swedish-duo Slide can’t be put in a box. Generically labelling their style of music just doesn’t work because they have a great talent for blending a bunch of different genres, tools and accents together and creating work that stands out amongst the music of today. Their latest EP ‘Things I Tell Myself’ is a brilliant example of their almost patchwork-like production style because every track on the EP has surprising elements that you don’t expect and strong textures that are heightened by blending almost every musical genre into one song.

‘Pool Water’ is a really good example of this. The vocals take the lead on the track before textured synths slide into the mix. Light percussion dances across the synths and a deep baseline holds it all together perfectly. ‘Pool Water’ is gritty, but is somehow smooth at the same time, which is really refreshing. ‘Hello Spirit’ has a very similar effect on you. Ghostly synths hover below the vocals before a powerful bass track takes charge and an energetic beat just elevates the whole song. It’s punchy and exciting, even though the vocals are talking about skeletons and “evil spirits”. Both of these songs have pop elements in them, but you feel the juxtaposition in the tracks as the darker vocals, rock-inspired acoustics and hip-hop beats all blend into one. It’s really, really intriguing.

The lyrics on ‘Keep Shining’ pack a punch, but the lighter beat and warm synths really make it feel like a chill track. The song describes life for the younger generation today and the semi-perkiness of the melody really makes ‘Keep Shining’ sound both optimistic and eerie at the same time. ‘Maybe I Just Hate You’ is quite similar to ‘Keep Shining’ in that its subject matter is a bit darker, but the melody picks the mood up and kind of tricks you into thinking it’s a happy tune. ‘Maybe I Just Hate You’ talks about that one person you can’t stand and have no desire to reconcile with, but uses snappy guitars and buzzing synths to make the track feel kind of vibrant and cheeky. ‘Maybe I Just Hate You’ is infectious as well. Out of all the songs on ‘Things I Tell Myself’, this is the song that’ll get stuck in your head.

‘Waiting’ is kind of a cheeky track as well, because it has a quirkiness to it. Clicking synths, sharp percussion and chopped vocals hop around each other to create a melody that feels minimalist, but also full. ‘Waiting’ is the one track on the EP that seems to truly encapsulate Slide because it has the patchwork production that borrows from almost every musical genre and also has kind of morbid lyrics (“if I leave this world before ya, all up in the clouds I’ll be waiting’ for ya”) that are brightened up by the melody.

’Things I Tell Myself’ is a beautiful EP that really pushes the boundaries not only in production but in subject matter and how it’s treated. Usually, sad songs are sad and happy songs are happy, but on Slide’s EP, nothing is what it supposed to sound like. The feels you have are probably not the feelings you’re supposed to have and that’s okay! ‘Things I Tell Myself’ is a completely unique EP that will stick in your mind because Slide are just so creative and willing to create music that just doesn’t suit any of the labels that are being placed on most musicians these days. They reject the labels and that rejection makes for some damn awesome music.