Alice Boman - EP II/Skisser EP

Skisser - a Swedish word translated as “sketch” - is clearly demo-like in nature, with audible white noise and incidental studio sounds present and a tinny sound quality. Unsurprisingly, we hear the groundwork for her most recent follow up - piano-based torch songs with little to no percussion, a chapel-like ambience, and Boman’s captivating vocals. Boman’s voice is an intriguing one, a concentrated, unadulterated beam of light gleaming from within her shaded surroundings, dripping with naiveté and quavering with insecurity. “Waiting” and “What Are You Searching For?” convey Boman’s fragile, doe-eyed yearning, the former’s light shuffling swing a precursor for EP II’s “Be Mine”. The intervening untitled “Skiss” tracks ambiguously offering more of the same.

EP II functions more as a refinement and polishing of Skisser rather than a leap forward. Gone are the hisses and occasional bumps and knocks as the sound is deeper, richer, and fuller. Bear in mind, these are all relative points; EP II still is markedly lo-fi and minimal. Openers “What” and “Over” are rooted and driven by a skulking, dramatic low end, Boman’s pauses in her melodies impeccably timed to milk all her trepidation and desperation. Echoing the uncertainty we encountered in her debut, Boman asks, “What do you think of when you think of me? / Do you even think of me?” on the opener while declaring her feelings of awe and inferiority on closer “All Eyes On You”, “You looked so good…I swear all eyes were on you”. The latter emitting ever so faint gospel-inflected twinges, which we find also on “Be Mine” and “Lead Me”.

EP II fulfills its promise in smoothing out its predecessor’s rough edges, at the same time endowing her work with more depth, emotionally and sonically, and still retain her artistic hallmarks. While this is a noble endeavour to be sure, one wonders if Boman wouldn’t be better served with a fleshing out, even if ever so minor, on her inevitable first long player to keep things burning over the longer haul. It’ll be interesting to find out…