Featured on BBC One and Amazing Radio, CEIL is an English based grunge-indie band with three members. The band have just released their new EP and have announced a UK and France tour set for February 2024. Let’s take a closer look at Rather Be Alone

Circles is the opening track to the EP and has the longest run time and gave the EP its name “Rather Be Alone” through its lyrics. This song was perfect for the opening track of the album, the slow build of the beginning with the string noise of the guitar leading into the drum beat flawlessly lets you know what your in for with the rest of the EP. The song itself lyrically is beautiful, the bridge of the song “you call me, you hurt me, you want me”, comes off almost in a haunting tone with the reverb on the soft vocals, this was my personal favourite part.

Talk is the second track in the EP, the track itself is very different from the previous but still within the same range of genre. You’re instantly met with the beat of the drum and a loud guitar riff compared to the slowed start of the album. The first line of each verse has almost a harsh beginning to the vocals being louder than the rest of the verse being in the singer’s usual softer tone adding something special to the song.

Shut in My Body is the third and shortest song on the EP. This song heavily leans into 90’s grunge music without sounding to different compared to the rest of the EP. The repetitive lyrics of the chorus and the riff of the bass makes it very easy to get stuck in your head, the heavy bass paired with the soft vocals has blended very well for the band throughout the whole EP without overshadowing either of the vocals or instrumentals.

The final track of the EP is Pictures. Pictures is the best way to end the EP as it sounds closer to the first track Circles compared to the other tracks. The song over all reminds me heavily of the goth genre, particular the distorted vocals and pause of the instrumentals near the end of the song.

The EP overall is the perfect example of different types of hurt you can go through and beautifully displays it in their lyrics with all of them in some way or another discussing heartbreak or tough times. Every song on the EP is catchy and easy to sing along with after only listening through a couple of times, perfect for singing along with when their tour starts in early 2024.