EP REVIEW: Lonely People – Love Rarely

Exploring the complexities of love, the human experience and loss, LOVE RARELY are not afraid to showcase the rawness of humanity. Their debut EP, Lonely People, perfectly encapsulates this. Throughout the six songs, the EP jumps from post-punk to pop, but at the core of the Leeds-based post-punks is vulnerability, soulful lyrics and enchanting melodies that invite all the lonely people to come together.

From the opening guitar riffs and drum beats on And You Know It, there is something raw about this EP. The vocals are harsh and unpolished, which gives the EP an edge. Whilst some might complain that the instruments remain the same throughout the song, the vocals more than make up for it. There are some vocal distortions and some screamed vocals, showcasing a wide variety of techniques. The screamed vocals continue over the soft and gentle guitar of Don’t Try (Interlude 1), before the roaring fast-paced punk of Entropy bulldozes in. It should ruin the pacing of the EP, but it doesn’t due to the build-up of the interlude.

In fact, this goes for the entire EP. Whether it is the fast punk rock of Say Yes, the medium-paced Slow Motion, or the grunge rock of P.A.F (Outro 1), Lonely People never falters, no matter what genre it is embracing. Furthermore, despite the 16-minute runtime, the EP feels quite long and well fleshed out over six songs, and the production means that it works very well and sounds very professional for a debut.

In conclusion, Lonely People is a fantastic debut EP. LOVE RARELY sound confident, know what their sound is, and there is even some experimentation scattered throughout. The sound of the EP bounces around, but – again – thanks to the production, no song sounds out of place. Furthermore, the interludes help the transition between the genres. If you are looking for a fun, unique and raw EP, then Lonely People is the one for you.

Rating: 8/10

Lonely People is out now via self-release.

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