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Writer's pictureLammbi

EP Review: James Ivy - Everything Perfect


Saturating his 90s alternative pop rock influences even more, ‘Everything Perfect’ transforms James Ivy’s self-loathing as a backdrop for the melodies and production to careen into an electrifying, yet transitional EP.

An artist like James Ivy may have started in a different route - taking cues on PC Music electronic experimentation that laid down his beginnings as an eager musician - yet he eventually turned around to cultivate sounds of the past through the heydays of 90s alternative pop rock. His debut EP, ‘Good Grief!’ which was put out in 2021 is a solid showcase of his liking for that era of sound, where his pop-punk vocal tone nestles well with the saturated production that was balanced well in earnest. Since then, it’s never too long before James Ivy follows through with yet a pristine set of tracks in ‘Everything Perfect’, all compiled with an art cover that has the feel of compiled photographs taken from a gauzy camera at a bygone era from which James Ivy is digging deeper to recapture the space of that certain time frame.


The further embrace of what he’s influenced by on his debut EP is pronounced a lot more in ‘Everything Perfect’. Punching up the textures and tonal gradience fluffs up the splashy quality displayed on a lot of the cuts here. The opening track ‘L-Trip’ immediately bursts forth to the forefront with waves of saturated shoegaze swamping everything in sight, creating a shimmering impression at the start where the punchy snares, sparking flange guitars, and drenched emotive vocals just go off on a high note. ‘Stereo Play’ and ‘Everything Perfect’ may tone down that immediate effervescence, yet the shuffling grooves that owe to trip-hop carve out those tracks with a danceable rhythm amidst the widescale pretty effects. ‘Involved’ and ‘The Last Place You’d Ever Look’ bring back the electric splash of energy, from the former’s elevated volume from the shoegaze-sharpened wall of sound to the latter’s soaring guitar amidst arena rock-showered progressions and percussions.


For an EP entitled ‘Everything Perfect’, it tells a layer of angst shaking apart the romance that might seem true on the surface, but in an age where long-distance relationships exist within computer screens, James Ivy reflects upon that head-scratching frustration that’s also doused in his confusion. ‘Stereo Play’ and ‘Under Tongues’ best describe that frustration in the relationship or what seems like it as James’ hesitation builds up from frequently asking his partner just to get her attention and then stepping back to ask said partner about the relationship they’re having and wondering if it’s legit or if it’s just a fluke. Throughout the EP, those sequence of questions continuously pops up in the narrative, further emphasizing James’ self-doubt that’s affecting not just him but also the relationship that he is in due to the angst that he directs to himself. Yet on the last track, he does wish to stick alongside his partner despite James’ inner angst and confusion, wanting to get things right and keep himself tangled with the relationship no matter what.


That being said, the recent net fishing of this alternative pop-rock sound that James Ivy is cultivating himself around isn’t exactly refreshing even if there are neatly blended textural and tonal balances throughout, making the track colorful and atmospheric without making it too saccharine. And given the narrative of self-loathing and constant confusion, it makes ‘Everything Perfect’ a tentative shift for James Ivy to arrive at something jubilant and confident in the future. But for the time being, when it does have this much splashy instrumental sheen, great earworm melodies, and well-supported production, James Ivy is reaching for something resplendent. And despite knowing deep down it might not end up splendid, the steps that he’s taking are worth having in the long run.


 

Favorite Tracks: ‘L-Trip’, ‘Stereo Play’, ‘Under Tongues’, ‘Involved’, ‘The Last Place You’d Ever Look’


Least Favorite Track: ‘Silly Love’


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