Julia Cumming - Julia

Julia Cumming can call this an "anti-cool album" all she likes, but she's cool, so sorry - these things can't be helped. After years fronting Sunflower Bean and carving out a place in New York’s indie scene, ‘Julia’ feels like a reset: a debut that shrugs off expectation and gets on with the business of figuring out who she is when no one else is in the room.

Opening track 'My Life' pushes back against external input, carving out a space that's her own. Across the record, that sense of autonomy runs deep; it's like peeling away layers until what's left feels honest. There's a warmth to it too, rooted in classic songwriting that leans on piano, soft-focus melodies and a voice that knows when to hold back and when to let go.

Memory and control thread their way through the album. 'Please Let Me Remember This' aches with the frustration of trying to hold onto fleeting joy, while tracks like 'Fucking Closure' and 'Emotional Labor' wrestle with relationships. Even at its most reflective, the record resists sinking under its own weight, always reaching for light.

What makes 'Julia' work so well is how assured it feels. For an album built on self-discovery, there's very little hesitation in how it presents itself. It's open and comfortable sitting in its own skin, with a clear sense of purpose and a refusal to be boxed in.