On Oct. 13, Holly Humberstone released her debut album, “Paint My Bedroom Black.” The album reflects her inner angst and emotion through catchy choruses and fun beats.
Humberstone is a 23-year-old singer and songwriter from Grantham, England. She is known for “Can You Afford To Lose Me?,” a 2022 compilation release of her two EPs, “The Walls Are Way Too Thin” and “Falling Asleep at the Wheel,” from 2020 and 2021.
I first discovered Humberstone when she opened at a Girl In Red concert in March of 2022. I was immediately amazed by her stage presence and musical talent.
Her new album highlights these strengths. The alternative and indie undertones of the music really stand out in this release, and her well-written, metaphorical lyrics are especially prominent.
A standout on the album is the second track, “Into Your Room.” Humberstone uses beautiful metaphors to express her emotion. Accompanied by her captivating vocals and a fun beat, the song is enjoyable and entertaining.
Contrary to the overall vibe of the album, “Ghost Me” starts off with the unique introduction of a slow, steady guitar strum accompanied by delicate vocals that eventually picks up when it gets to the chorus.
Prior to the release of the full album, Humberstone released the singles “Antichrist,” “Room Service,” “Superbloodmoon,” “Into Your Room,” “Kissing In Swimming Pools” and “Paint My Bedroom Black,” leaving only seven of 13 songs to be released with the album.
One of those singles, “Superbloodmoon” features artist d4vd. The two have voices that blend together brilliantly, and both artists enhance the song through their vocals and musical abilities.
One of Humberstone’s greatest strengths is her lyrical ability. Everything she writes flows incredibly well together and is pleasant to listen to.
This album is especially well-made in terms of vocal and music effects throughout. The different echoes and beats make the music a more entertaining listening experience. In the song “Flatlining,” the constant beat underneath creates a unique suspense within the music.
However, the biggest weakness of this album — and Humberstone’s music overall — is its repetitiveness. Each track on the album tends to have a similar indie, upbeat sound, with similar vocal effects used. It’s an effective style choice, as all of the songs are quite enjoyable, but it does get a bit repetitive, and some of the songs kind of blend together because of this.
Despite the repetition, the album is well-made and nice to listen to. The lyrics are beautiful, and the music and effects are fantastic, and it’s an overall relaxing listen for a debut album.
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Rating: 9/10
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