Tommy Lefroy - Rivals EP

There is a lot to be said about the enhancing quality of a well-crafted instrumental backdrop. Nothing makes a song pop off more than a driving bassline or the unmatched euphoria of a boppy chorus.

For buzzworthy newcomers Tommy Lefroy, the opposite rings true. Here is a band who seem to become more powerful, the less they play with shiny features. Where vocal prowess meets lyrical genius, and any acapella moment would mean certain death for those who truly listen.

Following on from last year's debut EP 'Flight Risk', second EP 'Rivals' arrives in full force – armed for a fight where its predecessor was more inclined to hide in plain sight. Angular, heavily texturised opener 'Dog Eat Dog' is the most prominent manifestation of said fighting stance with its sharp edges and satirical commentary on the women-as-rivals theme.

'Rivals' then moves into hazier waters that allow Tommy Lefroy to flex their storytelling muscles with wailing guitars, stunningly interlaced vocals and the kind of lyricism that borders on poetry. A stunning display of introspection culminates in final track, 'Recency Bias' – a stripped-back ballad laced in fragile vulnerability that delivers the final punch and knockout blow. If you are still standing unmoved after this lesson in tone and volume, you may well be superhuman.

From start to finish, 'Rivals' is perfect proof of Tommy Lefroy's striking potential and, perhaps, just as much a statement of their intent to claim their spot at the top of the pops. Confident, unapologetic, and heroic in its own right, this EP should be putting Wynter Bethel and Tessa Mouzourakis on everyone's radar.