EP Review

Clutter - Loves You EP

Name: Clutter - Loves You EP Review
Item: Loves You EP
Rating: 4
Author: Felicity Newton

Gloriously messy guitar music.

Label: PNKSLM Recordings

Released: 10th April 2025

Words: Felicity Newton

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From the moment 'Loves You' kicks in, Stockholm's Clutter channel the pure, unfiltered joy of a late-night basement show where the amps are too loud and everyone's having the time of their lives. Their debut EP packs six tracks of gloriously messy guitar music that bridges the gap between 90s alternative heritage and contemporary punk's DIY spirit.

The Swedish quartet keep things brilliantly uncomplicated - hefty guitar riffs collide with harmonised vocals that dart between honeyed and hazardous, all propelled by drumming that hits like a runaway train. 'Geeks' establishes their mission statement early, with 'Pretty' and 'Brainiac' following suit, even if they tread similar ground.

What really works for these tracks is the magnetic chemistry between vocalists Hilda Ander and Emma French. Their partnership reaches its peak on 'Brideshead', transforming bookish reference points into something that demands attention right now.

'Jesus' stands tall at the EP's core, showcasing how deftly they can bury earworm melodies beneath waves of distortion, while 'Kraut' has evolved from intimate recordings in guitarist Ove Jerndal's childhood space into a sweeping collision of static-wrapped guitars and mournful synths.

If the tracks occasionally blend into one another, that feels beside the point. 'Loves You' captures that vital moment when alternative music first grabs hold of you and refuses to let go. They're not here to reinvent the genre - they're here to remind us why we fell for it in the first place.