Album Review: Bloom - Bloom

Although the comparisons have been made, the very few elements of Bloom's contemplative sound that bear a likeness to hipster suicide queen Lana Del Rey are really not worth discussing. In fact, there are more similarities to be found, both lyrically and vocally, with Tina Arena, than with the American tragic. That's not to suggest, however, that she doesn't make it work.

Her velvet-tongued voice glistens over staccato electronica on Guide Us Home, the standout track on the self-titled EP. Building into a minimalistic dancer, the kick comes in the chorus with a heart-piercing harmony that gives it such warm colour that it boggles the mind as to why the song isn't longer. But the obvious care that was taken with it and opener Ghost make it difficult to excuse the flatness of Cheating Heart and 100 Nightmares, both of which stumble along as listlessly as essentially every track on PJ Harvey's White Chalk. It's a shackle that in the future she'd do well to drop — and quickly — as it could overshadow the fact that while this EP has her navigating a minefield of boredom, she comes close to nailing what makes artists like Sia so likeable.