EP REVIEW: If I Was, I Am – Bells Larsen

Montreal-based singer-songwriter BELLS LARSEN returns with an EP to follow-up his acclaimed 2022 debut album Good Grief. Whilst the album focused on healing after suffering a personal loss, this new EP, If I Was, I Am, is about stillness after a period of transition. The five new songs go back to the days where Larsen used to write and record songs in his bedroom, but there is a new-found maturity in them.

Ten Hands opens the record and it is easy to see why this was the first song to be released as a single. The lyrics speak of reflecting on the start of a relationship now that a few years have passed. The stripped-back instruments allow Larsen‘s gorgeous baritone voice to take centre stage, and there is a surprising vulnerability which carries on throughout the rest of the EP.

Suitcases By The Door is a more up-tempo follow-up. Whilst the lyrics explore Larsen‘s experience as a young trans, queer person exploring the curious and confusing world of young adulthood, there is something universal about the feeling of alienation and being unsure of who you are in the world. We all go through changes in life, whether that is physically or personally, and it can feel alarming and uncontrollable. The lyrics on this song capture that feeling perfectly.

When I Was Your Favourite Person is a fast-paced song. It has to be, in order to fit the song into its short runtime of only 57 seconds. Technically it’s more of an interlude, but it works well and gives Larsen time to show off his fantastic guitar skills. It also serves as a brilliant introduction to Just Knowing You, which is about hoping to be known as more than someone’s acquaintance. In fact, all of the EP runs smoothly. This is due to the production, which makes each song stand out on its own whilst also allowing them to transition into one another without sounding forced. The entire EP is also extremely intimate; the lyrics are raw and heartfelt, and it is almost as if we are looking into Larsen‘s personal diary. And yet, despite the intimacy, he manages to make the lyrics universal to everyone, regardless of who we are.

Place To Be closes the EP with a reflection of childhood and how it compares to today. The song boasts good use of a variety of instruments, such as gentle synths in the background that are mixed in with the acoustic guitar. It is joyful and yet somehow also slightly melancholy, and again captures that universal feeling of longing for simpler times that we all have every now and then. However, it also signals a new beginning as we embrace our childhood enthusiasm and use that to the best of our abilities.

Overall, If I Was, I Am is a vulnerable, raw and heartfelt record. It is also intimate, not just in the lyrics, but also in the stripped-back instruments and production. Whilst Larsen does draw from personal experience, there is also something universal about the feelings of alienation, questioning who we are, and longing for simpler times that makes this EP special. There is a song for every mood, Larsen‘s voice is just gorgeous to listen to, and the lyrics are his strong point. This is a fantastic follow-up to Larsen‘s debut album, and further certifies him as a true gem in the scene.

Rating: 9/10

If I Was, I Am is set for release on July 28th via Next Door Records.

Like BELLS LARSEN on Facebook.