My Enemy by Ross Freedman is an absolute blast from start to finish. Keeping a sense of energy throughout, yet not neglecting the themes of reflecting on the past and self-doubt that it presents.
This collection walks the fine line of meaningful and fun at the same time.
The opening track, My Enemy, starts slow. This is a nice touch that humanises the instrumentation somewhat and allows us to get accustomed to the timbre the EP employs in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the listener with sound. As the composition warms up, this wave of guitars washes over the track. From arpeggiated chords to rhythmic strumming, the song engages in a wide variety of techniques to build a complex and textured melody. The drumming is also tight from this very first track, while resting in the background of the mix, it underpins the rhythm of the song and builds up the other aspects such as the vocals and guitar, allowing them to shine with the stability of a solid beat underneath them.
All This Time, the next track on the EP is a personal favourite of mine, having this gorgeous wailing lead guitar and a muted reverb in the background. This gave the track a unique and psychedelic sonic landscape. I also really like the vocals in this one. The harmonies in the chorus are pretty special, reminding me a little of the Beach Boys or Simon and Garfunkel. The lyrics are brilliant, looking back at the hubris and safety you feel in love. The line particularly “the hurt was fine, we could take a punch” is a nice touch, emphasising how together they felt invincible.
Worst Of Me, the last track on the EP ends the collection on a sadder note. The track opens describing a half-broken home with a sense of familiarity which makes its decrepitude even sadder. The chorus contains the lyric “In fairness I might be unfairly giving you the worst of me.” In the context of other lines about not seeing it clearly, this feels like a realisation of one’s faults in a relationship, focusing so much on the negatives that you can’t see your flaws. It’s a powerful message about concentrating on what matters and a bold choice to end the EP.
My Enemy is a thematically consistent and brilliantly executed collection of exciting indie tracks. I get the sense that there is real heart behind these tracks and that’s what makes the project shine amongst its contemporaries.
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