Hemlocke Springs’ debut EP “going…going…GONE!” is a home-brewed eclectic indie pop experience that takes inspiration from many different sources.
Born Isimeme Naomi Udu, much of the North Carolina singer’s fame is owed to the rapid popularity of her song, “girlfriend,” which had gone viral on TikTok. From then on, she cultivated her craft to create a unique electronic indie sound that is made clear by her recently released EP.
The musician gushes about “stepping into a new identity” through this new EP in a video posted on her TikTok page.
Udu explains that she’s “stepping into a new world”, a transitional period of her life and expresses this through her music. In another video, she shared her distaste for the creative process for her new music: “And though music can be fun, everything is just business at the end of the day, which is an aspect that I prepared for, but not,” she laughs.
She takes inspiration from the manic pixie dream girl trope found abundantly in media for this EP. She draws much of her electronic-inspired sound from artists she would listen to in middle school, such as Avicii and Calvin Harris.
The EP is daring, noisy and purposefully juvenile, emitting a certain playfulness that one could only get by fooling around on GarageBand, which Udu admits she did when she first began making music.
Track one, “gimme all ur luv,” starts with a similar vibe to the hit song “girlfriend” but differentiates itself with low-energy lyrics leading into the previously mentioned track.
Track three, “heavun” is pure synth pop joy, with lyrics proclaiming how she yearns for someone, stating that only the ethereal knows how she longs for them.
The pop fever continues on “enkee1” with a bubbly and catchy chorus. Udu elaborates that the song is more than about just finding love, but finding love as a Black woman. There’s a deeper meaning in its social commentary on how Black women are perceived within the dating game and in life in general.
The song “pos” portrays an edgier, raw energy reminiscent of 2000s alternative female artists through its lyricism, while “the train going to nowhere” utilizes sounds more akin to the synth beats reminiscent of the 80s. The titular track closes the EP with a slow, gentle indie pop, ending the rollercoaster that is “going…going…GONE!”
The EP will remind one of the more rough-around-the-edges, synth utilized “Time n’ Place” album by Kero Kero Bonito, another group focused on combining noise with pop characteristics that will delight any listener. The story portrayed through each song paints a picture of love, of yearning and wanting affection. “Cause heaven only knows how I’ve longed for you,” Udu sings on “heaven,” wondering if others feel the same.
On “pos,” she realizes that her lover could leave without a single trace and that the person reaching out could be the one at fault. “I imagine he’s torn/His head to the floor/ At least he realized I am just the piece of shit I was before,” she reflects.
The lyrics are catchy and relatable, especially towards romantics. The instrumental matches the feeling of catching romantic feelings, falling in love and losing it in a flash.
A solid first EP, fans are excited to hear more from the TikTok famous artist and potential pop powerhouse. Listen before the hype is “going…going…GONE!”
