Florida-raised artist Wormogenic makes an intriguing introduction with Bandaids, a six-track debut EP that finds its footing somewhere between alternative pop, dream-pop and grunge-tinged rock, and we premiere it here at LOCK.
Built around shimmering synths, driving basslines and distorted guitar textures, the collection embraces a deliberately eclectic sound, pairing infectious pop melodies with a more unruly alternative sensibility. There is a playful immediacy to the songwriting, but beneath its colourful exterior sits a more complicated portrait of adolescence, identity and the awkwardness of finding your place in the world.
At its most compelling, Bandaids turns the frustrations of growing up into something loud, expressive and refreshingly self-aware. Lead single Nothing Beats A Girl is a particular highlight, bringing together punchy guitars, bright electronic hooks and an anthemic chorus with a lyrical perspective that challenges conventional ideas of femininity. There are shades of Olivia Rodrigo and Hayley Williams in its pop-rock urgency, while a camp, irreverent streak recalls Chappell Roan. Elsewhere, Martian channels a similar confrontational energy, revealing an artist comfortable moving between vulnerability, humour and outright frustration without losing sight of the hooks.
Conceived when Wormogenic was just 12, Bandaids carries the perspective of an artist looking back on the formative experiences that have shaped her teenage years. Now 18, she draws on friendship, social anxiety and the complexities of female identity with an openness that gives the project its emotional grounding. Influences ranging from Caroline Polachek to Girl in Red inform its genre-fluid approach, but Wormogenic’s appeal lies in the way she brings these sounds together with her own distinctive personality. An expressive and occasionally chaotic introduction, Bandaids finds beauty in the messiness of growing up while establishing a promising creative identity within alternative pop.