The Heart Shaped Aces have delivered a masterclass in ambient indie-pop and transcendent songwriting depth with their debut self-titled EP.
Arriving in May, the six-track project establishes the Naarm duo — composed of Charlie Swansson and Oscar Robson — as an act to watch, a feat especially impressive given that they only formed in June of last year.
‘The Heart Shaped Aces’ opens with the rustic acoustic strums of ‘Better’, which immediately gives us a feel for what the duo are all about.
With it’s catchy shouted vocal ad libs and subtle 80s synths, it at once recalls the likes of The 1975 and Arctic Monkeys, two bands whom Heart Shaped Aces cite as key influences.
The Brit pop stylings of those groups are felt all throughout ‘Better’, which later features screechy guitar melodies and an anthemic final chorus that could easily fill out stadiums.
We head to clearer indie-rock territory on EP standout ‘Falling Under’, which coasts on a gravelly and seductive vocal performance and is punctuated by the kind of sunlit hook you might hear from Lime Cordiale.
For all its warmth, ‘Falling Under’ also makes room for The Heart Shaped Aces’ grittier tendencies. Grimy, garage-bound guitars provide a more classic rock sound in the mid-section, showcasing the pair’s ability to draw from a diverse sonic palette.
Later, on ‘Casting Shadows’, the duo again flex their classic rock muscles while retaining their ear for infectious pop melodies.
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The vocals here are perhaps the EP’s best, flitting between guttural broods and hushed whispers with finesse as dark and strident guitars fill-out the noisy cut.
‘Phantom’ serves as the project’s most ambient entry, brimming with twinkly keys, whirring synths and the kind of production that feels purpose built for an afternoon bike ride.
There’s an almost bedroom pop quality to ‘Phantom’, which leaves room for jazz-like percussion as The Heart Shaped Aces sing of following a girl and “beg[ging] to make her stay.”
The sound of the EP is so rich that you almost forget the equally engaging lyricism that courses all throughout it, with each song dealing in tales of young love, heartbreak, and the loss of innocence that comes with growing up.
‘Better’ is a candid reflection on the thought of one’s lover being with someone else, while ‘Casting Shadows’ revels in the excitement that comes with knowing someone isn’t good for you.
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These stories are often delivered with tongue-in-cheek and sardonic wit, like on ‘Wonder Lust’, where love is hilariously compared to a “sonnet that’s so shit it’s hard to read.”
That penultimate track is also a standout with its groovy bassline and sing-along cadence, but The Heart Shapes Aces save their most poetic lyrics for ‘Doves’.
Opening with regal and endlessly dreamy string arrangements, the final track flows like summertime daydream with honeyed vocals and airy backing harmonies, as the duo sing of a romance filled with both “loving words” and “frostbite kisses.”
What all of it amounts to is a project so polished it feels like the work of a band ten years’ their senior. It’s rare for a green act like The Heart Shaped Aces to feel this assured, and their namesake EP ushers in what’s sure to be a breakout moment.
Listen to The Heart Shaped Aces’ self-titled debut EP below.
