Lowertown share latest EP ‘The Gaping Mouth’
The Atlanta duo signed to The 1975’s record label share a new EP
Photo: Shamshawan Scott
Indie duo Lowertown have released their latest EP The Gaping Mouth. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia and now residing in NYC, the pair — Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg — have garnered success with their musical style that has elements of lo-fi, alternative, electronica, and a plethora of other indie genres. After signing with Dirty Hit Records, they released their previous EP Honeycomb, Bedbug last year. Their work has been met with praise and even success on the infamous social media app TikTok but, with this release, Lowertown cement themselves as artists who have come into their own.
The introductory track Clown Car begins with a beautiful guitar plucking pattern that accompanies Osby’s sing-talking style that details a story with an interesting tempo. The song continues to build as it progresses without compromising the main pattern. Soft, subtle harmonies in the second chorus make for a delightful addition to the song’s building blocks as it comes to a head with fuzzy layers of guitar, drums, and distorted handclaps. It’s reminiscent of a lo-fi track and makes for a hectic yet appropriate introduction into what The Gaping Mouth has to offer.
The second song, Seaface, begins with more of an acoustic set-up than its predecessor. The details of an encounter with blackbirds becomes a transition to a critique of the industry (“Just tell them what they want to hear / And they’ll sell you a story in exchange for some years of your time”) and how they have a nature similar to birds and their preying nature. The song grows in intensity accordingly as the anger behind its lyrics becomes more apparent. It incorporates the lo-fi elements that were present in Clown Car; however, they mostly reside in how Osby’s vocals are altered. With a nice groove that follows the build, it’s a song that becomes all the more addicting with each listen.
The EP’s title track is arguably the saddest one. It’s filled with dark, hollow instrumentals with existential lyrics that explore old habits that you just can’t shake; being young and naive, and self-destructive tendencies (“Being stupid and being fifteen / Or being older / Thinking I know who I am and what I want / And creating pointless fantasies”). It’s beautifully depressing, and an example of the emotional depth Lowertown can create. Burn On My Own; however, is the most diverse and dynamic track on The Gaping Mouth. Beginning with an acapella rhythm that soon blends into the accompanying guitar, almost like it creates a whole new instrument. It has a turn-around in instrumentation in the middle; not straying far away from the foundation but dropping the acapella beat while continuing and expanding. With lyrics that explore the turmoils of being alone, it’s an emotional apex. It’s an exceptional use of experimentation in their music and a standout track on the EP.
Debris is Lowertown at their apex of symbolism and metaphor. Reminiscing on childhood while admitting that getting older isn’t what it seems had never sounded so well-versed. The instrumental is the brightest sounding of the EP but not enough to sound out of place with the darker tones of the project. For those not as versed with Lowertown’s sound, this is probably the best place to start for them. It’s the perfect package of nostalgia and mature composition for anyone to consume.
The final track, Sunburnt, ends The Gaping Mouth off on a different note than the one it began with. It’s sonically brighter than its predecessors but doesn’t shy away from the melancholy lyrics. Sunburnt is arguably an indie-pop adjacent track, making it a nice note to end the project on. It feels like the completion of The Gaping Mouth’s story; an emotional credit roll. Your head will be bopping along to the groove in no time. Sunburnt is another example of Lowertown subverting expectations by proving their ability to make a song that goes beyond their usual style, yet works well.
It’s evident that Lowertown have matured over the years they have been making music together; however, their maturity only makes them stronger. Drawing from the differing genres of lo-fi, electronica and alternative can be an impossible task to create a project that has cohesion and an original sound. Yet, somehow, this duo manages to not only do that but do so with a captivating aura. The EP has the right balance of coming-of-age fears, self-assessment, and realization about the world to find something to enjoy about it. If you’re searching for a new artist with talent and individuality, it’s safe to say that Lowertown is worth your listen.
The Gaping Mouth is out now via Dirty Hit.