ALBUM REVIEW: running out of things to say, running out of things to do - Bonnie Kemplay

running out of things to say, running out of things to do - Bonnie Kemplay

Picture this.

I'm sitting in a study room in my college library, scrolling through Twitter while my laptop screen displays my yet-to-be-started marketing homework. Headphones on, I'm listening to my go-to homework playlist.

Then, I see it.

A Tweet from Dirty Hit, a West London-based record label. "Bonnie Kemplay supporting The 1975 on their UK & Ireland tour."

The 1975 is my favorite band. Ever. When I saw them on tour in November, I cried during the show three separate times. Their opener in November was different, though. I wanted to see who this new opener was. I wanted to listen to her debut EP to see who she was.

I turned on the EP, ready for it to be background noise for my study session. As it went on, though, I completely forgot about my homework. I was fully drawn in.

BACKGROUND

From Edinburgh, Bonnie Kemplay taught herself how to play guitar. Kemplay got into the City of Edinburgh Music School at age thirteen, and later enrolled at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Signed to Dirty Hit during the summer of 2022, 'running out of things to say, running out of things to do' is Kemplay's first release.

OVERALL SCORE: 7.83

Honestly, I'm surprised the score is this low. This is a solid piece of work, especially when you remember it's a debut EP.

TRACKLIST RANKING

1. Blushing

2. Winter

3. 19

4. Static

5. Checkers

6. Was it obvious?

THE GOOD

THE ENTIRETY OF 'BLUSHING'

Euphoric seems like the wrong word, but I can't think of the right one. The verses, which seem bare compared to the BOOMING chorus, are the backbone of the whole track. They are what make the choruses shine. They aren't minimal in production at all, but the chorus is just SO FULL (especially the second one!!!) that it makes the verses seem... almost naked. This track is my favorite on the EP by a mile. I've been listening to it (almost constantly, I'm not joking) for days. Four minutes and nine seconds just doesn't seem long enough.

A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO KEMPLAY

This EP is a great debut. It's just the first taste of what Kemplay can do. If every piece of work that she puts out post-'running out' is similar, you can expect to see her name everywhere.

THE BAD

A WEAK CLOSING TRACK

'Was it obvious?' lacks something sonically. I'm not a producer, so I can't say what I would add to elevate the track, but it needs... something. It would be hard to follow up a track like 'Blushing' anyway, but having this be both the follow up and the closing track seems unfair.

FINAL THOUGHTS

For a debut EP, this is incredibly solid. Certain parts of this EP shine, while others strive to be something more. I have a habit of loving every artist signed to Dirty Hit, so I'm excited to see what Kemplay does next.

Start listening to Kemplay now, so when she blows up, you can say you've been with her since the beginning.