EP REVIEW: V – Halflives
Alternative rock trio HALFLIVES have always been a band fuelled by burning emotions. From bursting onto the scene back in 2017 with their self-released debut record Empty Rooms, a record laced with love, loss and heartache to 2020 EP Resilience which centres around self exploration and the complex feelings that come with it, Halflives wear their heart on their sleeve and new EP V is no exception.
A return to an anthemic arena pop-rock sound the band do so well, mixed with electronic sensibilities, the EP’s emotional intensity that unapologetically displays anger, hurt and revenge fires on all cylinders, something super catchy opener Vibe does to perfection. The first of five songs on an EP that features a v themed tracklisting, Vibe opens with an oozing sense of new found self confidence and an air of no nonsense after a bout of self doubt and period of never feeling like you are fitting in. Lyrics like “Join us now, we’ll start a revolution/We’ll make ’em bow, it’s time for retribution” make the listener want to join this misfit cult HALFLIVES are calling out for.
Second song Victim on the other hand, has a much more dark, menacing and sinister tone to its sound in comparison to the infectiously upbeat Vibe. Lyrically referring to a toxic relationship where your other half is nothing but bad for you, “You made the rules and got me stuck/I’m your victim and I like it” sings Linda Battilani with a set of vocals that are delightfully addictive, something the song’s subject is central to.
At the EP’s midway point comes Valkyrie, one of HALFLIVES’ bolder songs that embraces the powerful force of female empowerment. Starting off softer with a poppier sound and a minimalistic atmosphere, the track quickly picks up the pace launching into a chorus of a fast tempo, racing drums and speeding beats. Ultimately, an uber cool crossover between pop, electro and rock designed to get a crowd going in a super sleek club.
First single to be taken from V, Villain follows in a similar vein to song Victim, with the two tracks sharing this lavishly eerie undercurrent that pulsates away slowly throughout the songs. Now posing as the villain and not the victim, it flips the narrative on its head, with the protagonist coming to the realisation that they are indeed the villain too, by putting another person through exactly what they were going through, as the songs lyrics suggest “I can’t look back at you/After what you put me through/But I did the same to you.”
Closer V (Psycho) climaxes V in dramatic fashion. An immense intro lures you into the tantalising track, one that represents this amalgamation of genres HALFLIVES are experimenting with on this EP. Finally coming to the realisation that the toxic relationship as addressed throughout V’s entirety is extremely harmful, the song details the deflating feeling of heartbreak experienced from such a situation.
On V, HALFLIVES have dared to step outside of their alternative rock comfort zone for something a little more pop, rock and electronically leaning. With lyrics that detail the true trauma caused by a toxic relationship, done so emotionally and genuinely from the heart, HALFLIVES‘ V is a candid, creative and cutting edge EP.
Rating: 9/10
V is out now via self-release.
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