Live Review: TROPHIE takes her rightful crown on her Pantheon EP

UK born, Sydney based producer/vocalist TROPHIE is back with a brand new release. Following her last EP exploring witch house and intense club sounds, her latest 3-track EP Pantheon, released through Sidechains, channels a future pop perspective. TROPHIE navigates love, empowerment and heartbreak with the help of abrasive synths, grand composition and a sprinkling of autotune.

Rumbling basslines and whirring synths back a self possessed title track. 'Pantheon' is the soundtrack of TROPHIE claiming her crown, as she coyly repeats that swears she's "just a kitten". Panther growls and choppy percussion tell a different story, as the trappy beat, featuring heavily across the release, intimidates and lets us know TROPHIE's not here to play.

'Doomsday' is a heartbreaking robo-ballad, as TROPHIE's autotuned voice soars over grand piano chords while the world ends. Okay not really, but the subdued delivery in the verses and intensity in the choruses elevate the emotions of the end of a relationship to decimating levels. The more subdued instrumental draws the focus on the vocals, but their accompaniment is always in contrast to the vocal effects, meeting in the middle of organic and synthetic.

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Finally, coming right out of the gate sounding like a leaked Charli XCX demo, 'Boring Love' channels the pop star's repeated vocals, dreamy lyricism and love of autotune with a TROPHIE twist. Huge bass wubs and trappy kicks back her breathy computerised voice painting a hypercolour ride or die relationship.

This EP takes the pop themes of her last release and fleshes them out fully, focussing on exaggerated lyricism and storytelling alongside her huge soundscapes. Across 'Pantheon', she take inspiration from the boundary pushers of the top 40 and club scenes and translates that into her own sonic language. TROPHIE's take on the future of pop is a dark, intense and has an energy that only she can tame.

You can catch TROPHIE's first ever live performance at our side room takeover alongside Sidechains at Grey Matter in Sydney on the 5th of October, details on the event and full lineup below.

Greymatter

Friday, October 5

Oxford Art Factory, Darlinghurst

Doors: 9pm

Grab your tickets here.

Lineup:

Akouo

Dro Carey

FlexMami

Isa

Jade Le Flay

Moonbase