By Jenna Rittman
Correspondent
Hemlocke Springs released her first EP, “going…going…GONE!”, on Sept. 29, which clearly shows her indie pop music influences. The EP gives off dreamy, upbeat and funky vibes, while also delving into themes of love, self-worth and change.
Hemlocke Springs, whose real name is Isimeme Naomi Udu, is a pop artist. She released her first single, “gimme all ur luv,” in May 2022, which gained over a million streams through Spotify. She released her next single, “girlfriend,” in November 2022, which went viral on TikTok and also exceeded one million Spotify streams. Since then, she’s continued to release singles leading up to her EP.
In an interview with The Line of Best Fit, Springs said her new EP focuses on her transition from a young adult to adulthood. “Sure, at times I sound a bit silly, but I think it’s used as a way to cover up impending fears that are only bound to grow as I get older,” Springs said. “What better way to deal with that than singing to a beat with self-depreciating lyrics?”
Her EP consists of four of her singles and three new songs, titled “pos,” “the train to nowhere” and “going…going…GONE!”
The album starts off with the song “gimme all ur luv,” which was the first song Springs released. This song is very dream pop sounding and talks about how Springs wants love and will gladly accept love from anyone.
The track that comes next is “girlfriend.” This is one of my favorite songs off of the record, mainly because it is so upbeat and very catchy. I remember eagerly waiting for this song to be released when she teased it on TikTok in October 2022. In this song, Springs sings about falling in love with someone unexpectedly and trying not to act like she is becoming more and more fixated with them.
The third track, “heavun,” is also another dreamy-sounding song on the album. In an interview with When The Horn Blows, Springs clarified that the song is not a romance song. Instead, the protagonist’s desire on the track is wealth. She also talks about how she wanted to explore the psychology of greediness in this song. This is another one of my favorite songs off of the album.
The last single from the EP is “enknee1.” In this song, Springs sings about her perception of love and wonders if anyone loves and cares for her. Even though this is a self-deprecating song, it is quite catchy.
The last three songs on this EP are “pos,” “the train to nowhere” and “going…going…GONE!” “Pos” appears to be about someone struggling with their self-worth, and that they were made to do greater things with their life. The song “train to nowhere” tells the story of someone taking a train to another city to restart their life, while also acknowledging their past mistakes. The last track, “going…going…GONE!” seems to be about someone who is unsure about their future.
Overall, “going…going…GONE!” is a bedroom-pop and synth pop EP that represents a lot of anxieties about growing up, but also attempts to come to terms with getting older. I feel like this is a relatable album, especially if you are becoming an adult. If you are into the singer Marina, this EP might be for you.
