EP review by Charlotte Poynton
Hidden in the corners of the ever-rich Australian music scene are indie-pop darlings. Meanjin’s Isabel Wood is one of these popstars-to-be, with an impressive discography of gems that encapsulate a unique yet cathartically relatable coming-of-age experience. Whether you’re dancing through the pain or reminiscing on a chapter that ended several books ago, Isabel Wood has the perfect song to soundtrack that journey. Gracing us today with her debut ep A Problematic Way Of Thinking, here’s a quick rundown on Isabel Wood’s new and unmissable tracks.
The EP kicks off with ‘Sidestep’, a track which Wood reveals was written “about two years ago”. A song that details a delusional reminisce on a relationship, we hear an insight into what happens when you “block out the bad memories so only the good ones remain”. Isabel Wood sings about voodoo revenge and regret, with these emotions channelled into a driven soft-pop song with a delicately twinkling melody that reflects the fragility of the lyrics.
In ‘End of the World’, Wood perfectly encapsulates the chokehold that a relationship can have on someone, evoking a hyperbolic end of the world at the mere thought of an old love moving on without you. Revealing on Instagram that this song was written about “sinking into the worst version of yourself”, Wood audibly greets us with a shiny pop beat to contrast the Titanic metaphors and hard-hitting lyrical reality. The juxtapositioned framing of this track allows for the perfect cathartic sing-along, 100% proven to help you through any feelings of betrayal or heartbreak.
‘Boy’ simply had me hooked from the first seconds, whether it was the conveyance of rage or the classic Disney Channel rock vibe, I was immediately obsessed. This track was both the first song released from this EP and the first song produced by Riley Smith, who produced the entirety of this project. Wood sings about a raging red flag of a boy, who leaves a trail of distraught broken hearts in his path of destruction. With such a powerful bridge and perfect pop-rock atmosphere, this song has me manifesting Isabel Wood as an opener on the Olivia Rodrigo tour.
Described as “cheesy pop at it’s finest” is ‘Wish I Knew’, a gorgeous burst of musical joy and lyrical heartbreak. Rather than wallowing in the sadness of unrequited feelings for someone who was just looking for a thrill, Isabel Wood encourages us to dance through the pain. Though the lyrics may hit a little too hard, this song is the perfect thing to blast through your speakers and make you feel less alone.
‘Deep End’ is a slower and more tender track, heavily reminiscent of earlier releases of Wood, including ‘Sunburn’ and ‘Peaked in High School’. Whereas you may been dancing cathartically along to the previous EP tracks, ‘Deep End’ is a brief moment of reflection and reality, a reminder that sometimes healing is not a completely linear or smooth process.
Closing off Isabel Wood’s debut EP, A Problematic Way Of Thinking, is ‘Risky’. Gifting us with a cute little flirty pop song, this EP reads chronologically as a tale of healing and finishes with the glimpse of a new beginning. Isabel Wood has perfected the pop debut with this EP, cementing herself as an immensely talented women in Aussie music who belongs on all of your playlists.
