Naarm/Melbourne singer Saskia Robin releases her EP Wick this week.
This four track release is dripping with 90s grunge influences. It’s dominated by Saskia’s powerful yet effortless vocals and a vulnerable rawness amid heavy distorted guitars. Wick’s sound ranges from a quiet moodiness to louder chaotic moments and I love that the EP manages to be emotive whilst also having that little bit of fight in there too.
Opening track, Who Knew greets you with a wall of drums and guitar layers that fall away a little as Saskia begins the verse. Dominated by the repeated mantra of “who knew who knew who knew” throughout its big chorus it’s definitely making a statement.
Second track Soul Digger starts a little softer with more dreamy cinematic elements. Its more gentle guitar strums and jangly piano lead you through the opening verses before culminating in an anthemic bridge and final lines of the song. The story of the track is the feelings of insecurity in places where you should feel comfortable and you can hear this journey build from the soft safety of the instruments to the anguish and then anger as the song progresses.
Body Breaks Me is probably the saddest track on the EP. Saskia’s voice weaves between the driving rock guitar that pulses through the track, as she breaks down the heartbreak of trying to live up to patriarchal beauty standards. The track speaks of the exhaustion of toxic thought patterns and of starving yourself to look a certain way and the guilt that comes with that. It’s one of those tracks that you can tell is such a personal one for Saskia, yet something so many others can relate to.
The EP culminates with Bones, ending the release on an upbeat note that contrasts against many of the feelings of the other three tracks. It’s about self acceptance, reclaiming who you are and putting toxic people behind you. You can feel the difference in the energy in this song; it has a lightness to it, a little skip to the drumbeats that says “I feel good” and it’s a great optimistic way to end this very promising EP.