Big Fear, led by the charismatic and instantly recognisable voice of Alice Edwards have just released their brilliant debut EP Career Day.
Produced by alt-pop heavyweight Charlie Andrew (alt-J, Wolf Alice, David Gilmour), Career Day is a jagged mirror held up to a world on the edge – a sprawling yet in parts ethereal and beautiful collection of tracks which showcase a distinct understanding for songcraft and sound design.
A lush, distorted landscape of buzzing synths, wiry guitars, and off-kilter percussion (thanks to Jack Wilkinson and Ben Crone) all orbiting Edwards’ haunting, chameleonic vocals. Across its 5 tracks, the EP moves between the heavily distorted bass and tight boxy drums of ‘Culture Cannibal’, to the haunting serenity of ‘Mildew’, to the a pulsing blend of synth and fuzzy guitar work on ‘Money’. These chops and changes in pacing give the EP a depth and sense of creativity whilst crucially retaining a cohesive and melodic flare.
“This EP is really a series of dialogues,” vocalist Alice Edwards says. “Each song has two figures moving the story forward—each pair represents a part of the culture we live in. The mental health crisis, the beauty myth, the politics of fear… All issues that loom, and seem hopeless for an individual to face alone.”
And yet, it’s the intensely personal nature of Edwards’ performance that gives Career Day its weight. From the clashing inner voices of ‘Mildew’ to the grotesque satire of ‘Culture Cannibal’, the lyrics feel lived-in, bruised, and still burning. There’s a theatrical quality to the delivery, at times whispering, at others near-screaming, that only heightens the feeling that Big Fear aren’t just observing culture; they’re caught in its teeth.
Already garnering national radio play, sync placements on shows like Made in Chelsea, and editorial support across Spotify and Apple Music (including cover artist placement on Hot New Bands), Big Fear are quickly placing themselves among the most buzzed-about new acts in the UK.
Listen to the EP and find out why for yourself below: