It seems to be that time again, when your favourite NI music blog’s corROEspondent (sue me) delves back into the colourful whirlpool of the fast-rising alt-pop singer. Following a few quiet months, ROE returns with another in her repertoire of sad-pop tunes with the self-effacing ‘Look Who’s On TV.’
A stalwart within NI’s indie scene, ROE’s crafted a well-deserved image as one of the few musicians that can cross the boundaries between creatives and mainstream with relative ease. Her latest is no different – on ‘Look…’ ROE showcases her abilities as a talented lyricist who conveys pathos and relatability through driving pop rhythms and key-led verses that highlight her key themes instead of swamping them. There’s also a new, darker maturity to this track in comparison to her previous discography – whilst deeply personal, ‘Look Who’s On TV.’ has an internationally facing spirit and a tight rhythmic backbone, propped on heavier bass and near mezzo-soprano range.
The biggest criticism of ROE, the one key that has kept her from the realm of the SOAKs of the world has been a lack of huge, vocal chorus hooks, and this is a trend that continues on ‘Look…’. Despite this, there’s little else to fault with the newest track. Expertly mixed, with a bright sonic palette and gripping introspective commentary, ROE starts of 2020 with a bang(er).
