Villanelle - Measly Means EP

Villanelle’s debut EP ‘Measly Means’ arrives with scrappy confidence. It’s compact and to the point, a snapshot of a young band catching momentum without overcomplicating it.

They’ve framed themselves as instinct-first players from the jump, and you can hear that in ‘Hinge’, the breakout single they reportedly (and very believably) wrote while hungover. It’s direct and loud, the track that explains a buzz in under three minutes.

From there, the EP slips into a slightly woozy, late-night headspace. The title-track circles that feeling neatly (“I’ll lie in bed I’ll lie in bed”) stuck between wired and wiped out. ‘Opportunity’ keeps things moving without straying too far from that mindset: youthful, a bit fried and unsure what to do with the hours after midnight. ‘Squeeze’ shows a different side,letting a bit more vulnerability creep through without ditching the band’s core sound.

Closer ‘Placebo’ goes heavier on the comedown detail, with “All my friends are all in bed sniffing their keys and mirrors” painting a sharp picture of post-night-out paranoia. The jaunty little ending is a neat touch that lifts it when things threaten to get too heavy.

‘Measly Means’ is a strong introduction: tight, instinctive and still working things out.