Emily Parish – Don’t Need Much (2022)
Emily Parish is reheating the creative juices after lockdown, with her EP Don’t Need Much. Featuring songs written throughout 2021 and one older track, the EP looks at everything from relationships, to working life, and wanting more out of your 20s. Written without a real agenda, the tracks bring a breath of fresh air that clears out the cobwebs while stumbling the journey we all take as we try to figure out what we are supposed to be doing in life.
The EP is not her first release, but there is an air of maturity and sophistication to it that really shows how much she has grown as a musician. Since starting to release her own music in 2017, she has moulded her pop-folk sound. Her fresh take on music has seen her featured on BBC Introducing and led to her performing at festivals including Banham Festival 2019 and Wild Paths.
The title track ‘Don’t Need Much’ opens the EP with a shuffle and pulsing deep beat. There is a richness to the soundscape as the instrumentation washes over the beats. Parish’s vocals reach out into the soundscape with a deep sense of yearning for someone she loves. There is a swirling feeling to the single that churns a sense of contentment in your soul, leaving you feeling happy and relaxed. Through the lyrics, she acknowledges that just being with someone you care about is often all you need. As the opening track, this song gets you hooked to the EP and eager to hear what else she has to offer.
‘Moonbeam’ takes an acoustic path with the strummed and plucked tones of a guitar. There is a folky vibe to her vocals that fills you with streaming sunlight. The track has an amazing warmth through the melody, which is contrasted by the lyrics. For all the comfort and warmth of the folky melodics, the lyrics tell the story of monotony and a wish for something more in life. The twinkling chimes that enter later sparkle like dreams of something bigger dancing tantalisingly in front of you. Parish’s vocals lead you through the emotions of the track and rise for a delicate touch toward the end, highlighting the control and versatility of her delivery.
There is an almost misty feeling to the opening of ‘Didn’t See You Leaving (re-imagined)’. There is a mournful feeling to the song that shines in the vocals, as Parish seems to reach into your chest and tug at your emotions. Through her performance, she brings an unexpected breakup, the heartbreak that follows, and the upset that comes with knowing you still care for the person who has hurt you. The melody perfectly captures the almost oppressive emotions that she brings to life with a wonderful delicacy. While the single has a seriously sad vibe, there is a beauty in the pain that is truly undeniable and keeps you hopelessly engaged.
The EP comes to an end with the alternative version of the title track ‘Don’t Need Much (alternative version)’. There is a more acoustic and organic feeling to this version, with the stark piano lines resting beneath Parish’s emotive performance. The almost stripped back feeling to the soundscape allows the song to really hit much harder than the original version. The piano line sends shivers racing down your skin, while the vocals take hold of your emotions and squeezes. The echoing backing vocals add something special to the version that takes everything to a new level. It is a truly spine-tingling version of the track which might be better than the version that opens the EP.
Emily Parish sends shivers down your spine as she draws you into the sophisticated exploration of emotions in her EP Don’t Need Much. Three of the tracks touch on different situations we have all felt at some point, while the last track is a stripped-back acoustic alternative to the title track. Each of the songs is powerful in their own right and form an amazing EP together.
Find out more about Emily Parish on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
