The ever-changing and virtuosic discography from Goat Girl expands greatly with their third album, Below The Waste.

Since their breakthrough album in 2018, Goat Girl has been a dynamic force of creativity. Lottie Pendlebury, Rosy Jones, and Holly Mullineaux have crafted 16 unique songs, fusing elements of eccentric art pop, Post-punk, and freak folk, showcasing their distinct musical style.

The album commences with the textured and jazz-infused Reprise, a sombre chord progression layered with plucked banjos and harmonious vocals. This sets the stage for the dissonant and technically proficient Ride Around, a track that exemplifies the album’s diverse range of songs and unique song structure.The ladder half of the song showcases the bands knack for incorporating different instrumentation and non traditional harmonies in their music. The third song off the album words fell out is a more straight-ahead indie song compared to some other cuts off the album. A feel-good tune filled with bubbly guitar and synth melodies that are pure ear candy. The bass playing on this album is top-tier, and this is wonderfully showcased on play it down. The Bass carries the song in a lot of ways but never gets too shreddy or in the way. This is a highlight off the record for me with its textured synths and beautiful vocal layers and harmonies.

Goat Girl has never been a band that stays in one musical place. They shapeshift in whatever way they want, and this album perfectly encapsulates that idea. The fifth cut of the album starts out as an almost grime or drill track and transitions into a gritty instrumental that progresses and builds until the end. Although I like the song, the ideas on this track could have been more developed, especially towards the end of the track. The next track, where’s your <3 It is one of my favourites off the album and one of the most interesting grooves I’ve heard the band put in a song. The chorus melody is unbelievably catchy and poppy, which is a nice counterbalance to the techy groove. After a quick prelude we get to tonight a subtle and emotional acoustic song that includes beautiful synth sounds and, of course, the band’s beautiful group vocals. The song is a perfect middle point for the record and leads into the b side quite seamlessly.

This album sees the band writing some of their catchiest and best-developed songs yet, and motorway is no exception. The song slaps and is one of my favourite moments on the album. The lyrics are memorable, the vocal performance is excellent, and the synth sounds are fantastic, as always.

After another interlude, s.m.o.g we hear the band introduce their indie ballad, take it away, a song that repeats the same phrase throughout and is backed with clean pianos and emotional strings. The strings continue in pretty faces, a slow tempo track packed full of dense instrumentation and gentle vocal performances. Up next, we have one of the most exciting tracks on the record Perhaps. It is a song that builds tension constantly and surprises me with every listen. The track listing intentionally sets you up for the dissonant and mythical instrumental track Jump Sludge. The song starts with a thundering and poignant bass line, followed by various banjo melodies and cult-like vocal chants. The track is a great setup for sleep talk, a haunting song with witty chord changes and subtle production moments that add a sinister ambiance that fits the end of the record perfectly. The 6-minute closer wasting is an ambitious and well-defined outro for one of the band’s best albums yet. The song’s evolution feels like a rollercoaster, very similar to the record structure. A series of thoughtful surprises that feel like an in-depth dream that you can remember every word of.

Pre-order Below The Waste HERE