★★★★

Tiny Little Houses’ second EPSnow Globepushes the band’s sonic boundaries, amplifying their trademark sorrow as they venture into darker, more tormented territories via lead singer Caleb Karvountzis’ bleak lyricism.

Opening track ‘Medicate Me’ is immediately more gritty and fuller sounding than the band’s previous output, with the line, “I don’t want to live when you don’t want to stay,” foretelling the rest of the EP’s direction.

Title track ‘Snow Globe’ has Karvountzis intimately addressing the listener with his morose vocals and an outro that has him unravelling. ‘Song Against Apathy’ represents the band at its most energetic but resignation and despair still mar the song’s lyrics.

Glimmers of optimism shine through on closing track ‘Lonely People’, but at the root of the songs lyrics, Karvountzis proves dismissive of romance, sighing, “Love is not easy, love is not pure, love is not kind.” After listening to the EP, you can’t help but agree with him.

Never wavering in strength or emotion, each song on Snow Globe holds on its own. While it might be somewhat perverse to seek solace in sad music, Tiny Little Houses make feeling like shit that little bit easier.

Tiny Little Houses’Snow Globeis avaiable now through Ivy League.

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