In 2018 many of us were introduced to the indie folk sounds of Tomberlin through her release At Weddings. While the album proved as a gateway for many into the genre, it also showed off the stellar songwriting of Tomberlin. Now with her new EP Projections, she takes us further into the intimate passes of her songwriting while delivering a sound of pure enjoyment.

The opening track “Hours”puts a lot of what the EP is on full display. The soft vocals that play between the picks of strings on the acoustic open up to brush stroked drums and a bass that helps deliver more and more instrumentation. Gaze filled and melodic, there’s an effortless feel to the song that delivers softness in a new way. While “Wasted” digs deeper into that intimacy, it still holds your attention with its organic nature. Coupled with a catchy stick beat, dual vocals come in to add depth to an already deep presentation. The sway between the play of the instruments and the vocals steers the song into your ears where it never leaves.

Where “Floor” digs into a more indie rock sound, there’s a playfulness on “Sin” that wins you over. The melodic opening, the weight of the vocals and the more upbeat tones of the song pull you closer and closer. That pull isn’t overstated. There’s something about how the song feels honest, as if it’s a portrait of someone you’ll never really get to know that makes it work so well. However the sorcery of the release comes on the closer “Natural Light.” Falling more on the folk side of her sound, Tomberlin utilizes that strand in the opening before building on it and adding heavier vocals to truly win you over. The gut-wrenching sounds of the vocals alone should be enough, but couple that with the buildup of sounds underneath and you have a sound that you can’t help but place on repeat.

Projections is available to preorder on a limited edition picture disc directly from Saddle Creek Records. It’s also available in all digital outlets and it can be streamed wherever you stream music. 

Image Credits: Photo by Marc Silverstein.