Pip Blom - Grip EP

Amsterdam's Pip Blom have always known how to write a proper indie banger, which makes their sharp left turn into synthpop territory on 'Grip EP' feel like watching your favourite pub suddenly install a light-up dancefloor.

Opening track 'Temporary Love' sets an optimistic tone with its bubbly synths and infectious chorus. The production sparkles with a newfound polish, though longtime fans might miss the scrappy charm of their earlier work. 'Upside Down' follows a similar template, calling to mind the electronic indie-pop experiments of the late 2000s while never quite reaching those heights.

The middle section of the EP loses some momentum. 'Drift' and 'Ring' feel like exercises in style over substance, with their glitching synths and dance-oriented production failing to really deliver. The songs aren't bad per se, but they lack the urgency and personality that made Pip Blom's previous work so charming.

Closing track 'Someday' perhaps offers the most promise, ironically by pulling back from the electronic elements that dominate the rest of the EP. Here, the band find a sweet spot between their guitar-based origins and new electronic ambitions, creating something fresh and authentic.

The 'Grip' EP might not fully stick its landing, but it shows a band refusing to stay still. While not every experiment here succeeds, the moments that do work suggest interesting possibilities for the future.