Ever since she first emerged, Manchester’s May Payne has always been one to explore a more diverse appeal than many in her field. Known for taking these rich and sprawling soundscapes and injecting them with a mystical approach to both her songwriting and production, she has been quick to carve out a distinctive niche for herself on the scene thanks to a flurry of praise and acclaim. And after rekindling much of that initial vibrancy across a wave of singles in recent months, she is back once again with her progressive new EP ‘High Demand’, a collection that continues that inventive streak of hers.
Described as a brutally honest portrait of her tumultuous relationship with an ex-partner, ‘High Demand’ has this incredibly enveloping appeal to it. Keeping much in the same woozy indie-rock vein her earlier material made a mark with, her newest offering finds her in this wonderfully riveting guise, swapping between sucker-punching passion and a more sombre approach whenever it is needed.
This subtle ebb and flow of emotion is what gives this new EP the lifeblood it needs to remain both interesting and absorbing. Turning what was clearly a troubled time in her life into something so inviting is never an easy task, but May Payne’s ‘High Demand’ takes on the challenge with gusto and aplomb from start to finish, giving this new EP an brilliantly admirable feel throughout.