Being in your 20s is tough. And it’s already hard enough even without a global pandemic to live through, multiple wars happening at the same time and the fear of bringing the planet closer to destruction when ordering a t-shirt on Asos or saying yes to that straw for once. There’s falling in love with the wrong person, growing apart from the people you used to call your best friends and the grand task of deciding what you want to do with your future and life. This and so much more are the themes covered in Boyish’s latest EP ‘My Friend Mica’, a heartfelt release that in some parts hits almost too close to home, but always offers a shoulder to cry on when needed.
Born out of a home studio in the middle of Brooklyn, ‘My Friend Mica’ serves as a bow to the group of friends of the duo Boyish, made up of singer India Shore and guitarist Claire Altendahl – first and foremost the real Mica, who not only inspired the creation of the final track of the record but also the name of the overall project. This personal touch gives a direct insight into the relatability and heartfulness of the EP, which only gets intensified with every note reaching the listener’s ears.
Starting off with the bouncy ‘You Wanna Hurt Me’, anyone currently working through a toxic relationship or just trying to deal with feelings for the wrong person and deciding whether to stick around or not, will find themselves having the one or other tear roll down their cheeks. From the very start, the song is a testament to the duo’s talent for turning even the most complex feelings into words and underlining them with the most beautiful sounds. Moving over to ‘Congratulations’, it seems like we have taken the step away from the person who once used to hurt us, but as with every human connection, it has left its traces and is hard to shake off. Carried by Shore’s soft vocals and a fresh production, the track serves as another kind of breakup song. One that might just help a broken heart to finally be mended.
Through the next two tracks – the fun ‘Smithereens’ and the addictive ‘I Think I Hate It Here’ – the group further explores the depths and complexities of relationships gone wrong and lands utter indie-pop-rock perfection. Held up by energetic guitar lines and angelic harmonies, they are two of Boyish’s arguably best releases and proof that DIY production can sometimes be more stunning than the most expensive studio hire.
With the two closing songs, the duo makes a move away from the popular theme of unrequited love and the pain that comes with it, and steps into a world of stellar beats with the modern ‘Legs’, before putting it all to an end with the soft ‘My Friend Mica’. This is also when the band gets the most personal, with Shore singing “Scared the people that we love / Will get old and uncool” and “Part of growing up is knowing there’s a kid / Talking to me from the back of my skull / And it’s still scared of everything / Right now, it’s seeing stars / When the doctor sticks a needle in my arm”.
From start to finish, Boyish’s latest release marks the duo’s next greatest step and serves as a testament to their immense talents. Having lived through a pandemic and coming out of it on the better end, the group has made it their trademark to turn growing up and everyday life with all its ups and downs and the connections that we make into little pieces of musical art. And through ‘My Friend Mica’, they might have just hit that nail perfectly on its head.
Boyish’s new EP ‘My Friend Mica’ is out now. Follow them on Instagram and Spotify.
Written by Laura Weingrill
GEM Magazine 