Guardrails is the latest EP to be released by rising Indie Pop artist Caitlin. Her short collection takes the listener on a glorious romp through dynamically driven soundscapes that have been delivered in a deliciously unique style.
This masterpiece is made up of six beautifully crafted compositions with minimal instrumentation that not only take you on a journey they don’t mess around in terms of getting to the point. Caitlin herself has described the lyrical themes in this recording as “self-discovery, playful denial and finally calling things out.”
The full running length is just over 13 minutes with the longest song Outline dropping out immaculately after 3 minutes of soulful vocal melodies combined with sumptuous moments of silence between the verse and chorus which left me hanging in anticipation until the music kicked in again.
Guardrails is the next step in Caitlin’s musical progression after the previous release of 2024’s Legacy. The singer, songwriter, and producer has taken the strength of songs such as Light Leak and What You Love to another level by paying exemplary attention to refining the dynamics in her latest offering. There are many well-executed highs and lows orchestrated by the skillful introduction/withdrawal of instruments and vocals.
This recording’s arrangement flows well. The opening track Wash effortlessly draws the listener in while the title track Guardrails is a great way to end the compilation. You’ll wind up feeling satiated, however, I’m pretty sure you’ll be tempted to return for more sometime later. I know I was.
If you’d like to get a taste of the entire experience without jumping in fully at first, I recommend starting with Tied. This song slips effortlessly from a catchy rhythmic beginning into an atmospheric epic by combining just the right amount of space with sound.
Caitlin has been a regular performer on the major festival circuit. I’d love to see her play live in an outdoor setting as I found myself wanting to open my arms wide and dance under the heavens while listening to her creations.
In hindsight, I’m particularly surprised to discover just how taken I was with this music as I don’t habitually listen to pop and feel gratified I chose to expand my horizons via this superbly composed collection.
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About the author Natasha Hopping
A.K.A Tasha Wolfe. Tasha is an adventurous female homo sapiens thriving mostly in her native Otautahi/ Christchurch habitat playing bass in original Alt/Goth/ Rock band One32nd, wielding a sword as part of Soul Star Tribal Belly Dance Collective or playing acoustic solo sets of her original songs. Tasha is classified as friendly, safe to approach and to this date, has not been known to bite.
