On their own, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus are three of the best songwriters releasing music as solo artists right now. Together, with their new project boygenius, they are ethereal. The self-titled debut EP, released on October 26 via Matador Records (already home to label-mates Baker and Dacus,) flows seamlessly, highlighting the skill set of each of them.
boygenius— the record and the band — is one of those projects you feel lucky to be around for. While the entire EP succeeds, the most exciting moments happen when hearing one artist switch off with another.
Dacus leads opening track "Bite The Hand," bringing a lo-fi feel that eventually erupts into a chilling recitation of "I can't love you how you want me to," where a different voice takes over every line. On "Souvenir," Baker's and Bridgers' contrasting styles meet in the middle, as Bridgers' signature honey-sweet croon suddenly replaces Baker's matter-of-fact delivery. All three voices come back together to harmonize on the chorus of closing track "Ketchum, ID," one of the most beautiful songs on the EP. The three singers make the blending of their harmonies sound effortless during the refrain of "I am never anywhere / anywhere I go / when I'm home I'm never there / long enough to go."
What's most special about these tracks is how organic they are; there's no sense of any industry magic behind the curtain, no one artist trying to fill a gap by outshining another. The EP shows a supergroup ready to explore new territory and bring the best out in each other.
