Premiere: Evangeline masters dark-pop with new EP, I think about it way too much

No-one embraced the outer edges of Australian pop as early as Evangeline. In 2015, the Melbourne-based musician explored pop's intersection with ruffled electronica on her debut single CHEMICVL and since then, everything she's put out has felt like an adventurous, crystal ball look into the future - from the near-yearly singles that litter her discography and her debut, 2017-released EP Atelophobia right through to her moments with others, whether that be remixes that shape and mould her vocal into well beyond its limits or guest features alongside Donatachi, CRAVE, OK Sure and Recluse.

In 2020, a time where it feels like everyone has caught up to experimentalism and pop is as far-removed as its ever been from its foundations, Evangeline is continuing to look forward. Over the last nine months, Evangeline has been reaching a new peak by putting out some of the best work of her career to-date, often via exploring the depths of this dark, looming pop sound that even in its most euphoric and grand moments, appears to have a storm brewing on the horizon.

As it turns out, all of these singles have been leading towards the release of Evangeline's second EP I think about it way too much, which premieres on Pilerats today ahead of its greater release tomorrow and with it, brings the heralding of a musician who has consistently been one step ahead of the rest. From the second it opens, it becomes clear that I think about it way too much is another release from Evangeline which continues to highlight this left-field prowess, diving head-first into the cathartic energy music can bring as she strips back a rollercoastering period of her life and processes it through brilliant pop songwriting.

Bad Parties opens with a twinkling synth that soon descends into a wash of subtle percussion and thick-coated bass as LA-based multi-disciplinary Julius adds a hip-hop touch. Neighborhood is soft and subtle, drenched with thick emotion - and personal reflection - as her vocal warps and twists alongside a really stripped-back and dark-lit production. The Afterparty continues this but with a touch more maximalism (and even a subtle sense of euphoria) behind it, while I wish I was anybody else brings it back down to the EP's darkest-sounding moment.

As she explains, you learn that I think about it way too much revolves around a weekend in the life of a modern-day human still reflecting and finding themselves, exploring the highs and lows that often in pop music, is distilled to its most simplistic and easy-to-understand. Evangeline doesn't want that, however. Her work is far deeper and more complex; a depth into the edges of her psyche and how she's able to bring that to life through grim-lit moodiness and warping experimentalism that really allows you to process its multi-faceted core.

"I Think About It Way Too Much is a journey written through the lens of tired and desperate eyes. Sung softly... defeated... It is the last night," she explains on the EP. "Sink into the couch and enjoy the sonic and lyrical journey of Euphoria, as you see a spark of beauty in the madness. Feel the boredom of Bad Parties, being dragged to an event full of beautiful people as a +1 where no matter what, you will never truly belong in the crowd. But you don't want to be one of them. A walking contradiction.

"In Neighborhood, feel the anxiety of the crowd, sad that you know what to do when things go bad - because they go bad often. But you are never alone, we're all just misunderstood. Speed away from The Afterparty. You want to scream as tension builds, but you don't. How long can we beg someone to choose us? They don't. I Wish I Was Anybody Else. You will hear it... It's coming... It's the beginning..."

Take a dive into the EP below, as it premieres on Pilerats ahead of its release tomorrow, September 16th.

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