On the last day of August, Trout released their debut EP ‘Colourpicker’. Cesca Challis, the person behind Trout, is a Copenhagen born, Wales raised and Liverpool based 23 year old. It may be surprising to learn that they aren’t from London as their music fits in with the bands currently dominating the indie scene in the capital. However, that’s not to say their style is derivative. The fact that they recorded and produced the album in their bedroom and the influence of their synesthesia add personal touches to this release as they said to DIY: “the production is like an extension of my songwriting, and I can’t imagine just stopping after the writing part. It’s so personal to me so I couldn’t imagine handing it over to someone else, for now at least.”

Originally released in May, the opening track ‘gutter’ provides a gentle if melancholic start to the EP with heavy guitars joined by distorted instrumentals. The raspy vocals tell the story of how it feels to deal with a friend who refuses to acknowledge or understand your depression, something Challis is familiar with as she described to The Line of Best Fit: “they believed it wasn’t a real thing or something people choose to feel, which is equally hilarious as it is tragic”. This reflection on how mental health can affect relationships sets the tone for the rest of the EP. 

It’s followed by ‘in my room’, a song they state on Instagram is “very special”. It’s a love song musically in the vein of Sorry’s ‘Favourite’ and lyrically similar to The Moldy Peaches’ sweet but slightly disturbing indie classic ‘Anyone Else But You’ with lines like “be the places I ignore, the hairs on my bed, be the mould growing up my door”. The grungy backing track and Challis’s breathy vocals make this one of the stand out songs. 

‘sad sad sad sad sad’ is another song focused on the hopelessness of depression, its dark lyrics contrasted by some beautiful vocals from Challis and a slightly more positive sound. The shoegaze influence is clear here and continues to very much present throughout the rest of the tracks.

The shortest song ‘words’ begins just like a boygenius or Phoebe Bridgers song, Challis’s voice is soft as she questions “why does this happen?”. But then towards the chorus things start to distort and twist, vocals are reversed and synths are introduced. This is the EP at its most experimental and this combination of styles is something I’d like them to pursue further. 

Another early release, this time from June, ‘garden’ returns to a more traditional indie style, a self deprecating love song not too dissimilar from a Porridge Radio track. For lack of a better word the song trudges along with a consistent thudding drum beat and bass line but that isn’t a negative, it suits Challis’s heavy lyrics about a complicated romance: “I wanna know you, forget about me”. 

They close out with ‘bugs’, a song very much in line with the rest of the album dripping with metaphors of flies invading their home. This is perhaps where Challis’s songwriting shines best. Despite the dramatic guitars at the end, it still flows pretty seamlessly back into the opening track making this an EP you could definitely listen to on repeat with ease.

This probably isn’t music you’d listen to to put a smile on your face, it’s too laced with self-criticism. But it is one for lonely bus rides at 2am or sitting alone in the kitchen eating ramen after a breakup. It may not be groundbreaking but it is good indie music, an enticing taster for what’s to come. Recently signed to Chess Club Records (Alfie Templeman, Coach Party) and approved for the PPL Momentum Accelerator Fund, this looks like the start of some big positive changes for Trout.