More about: Alfie Templeman

Alfie Templeman: the 18-year-old future superstar. After the amazing successes of his EP’s Like An Animal, Don’t Go Wasting Time and the iridescent Happiness in Liquid Form securing him a die-hard fanbase, Alfie Templeman has always been on the path to bigger things.

Where Like An Animal was an upbeat funk piece, Don’t Go Wasting Time a rhythmic bopping EP and Happiness in Liquid Form a sugar-sweet-until-your-teeth-hurt pop piece. His new project; a mini-album titled Forever Isn’t Long Enough is a showcase of the deeper side to Templeman and a distinct show of how he is maturing in his music. Flowing through wavy synths of the '80s and jumping around to funky disco-esq beats of the '60s, Templeman has pulled out all the stops to show that a new era of his music, and indeed him, is here. There is a real sense that something’s shifted in Alfie and that he and his fans, growing up together, are ready for something deeper. 

First track ‘Shady’ is a signature Templeman track with a little bit of edge to it. With public transport chatter in the background and a foreground filled with sparkly percussion, the track seems very usual for him, until a dark dirty bass cuts through it all and you realise this is not going to be a cookie-cutter Alfie Templeman EP. Title track ‘Forever Isn’t Long Enough’ comes in and it’s reminiscent of early Blossoms and Sundara Karma with the push-pull synths swaying you through the track. It’s pure and simple. Just a downright good track. 

‘Hideaway’ is a one to get the parents grooving at the back: the '80s synths transport you to a time of legwarmers and extreme hair gel in the club. There’s definitely an element of modernity in it with Alfie’s rhythmic bopping. I can see the fully packed venue now: the fans dancing their hearts out at the front and their parents having a little shoulder waggle at the back. ‘Wait, I Lied’ is in a similar vein but very much a '00s take on '80s funk. He is really hitting every era on this mini-album. 

When ‘Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody’ comes in, it’s like a palate cleanser - a real stand out track on the mini-album, with Templeman delving into personal feelings, and opening up directly to his fans. ‘Film Scene Daydream’ shows him delving into the storytelling aspect of his songwriting, accompanied by those banging '80s drums and sparkly synths: it’s one to get everyone dancing. 

The last two tracks on the mini-album ‘To You’ and ‘One More Day’ ft April are spacey and distant: it’s like the whole album experience has just been put on slow mode. For the whole album, you’ve been dancing in a sunny field with your friends and in these two last tracks you’re walking down a warm country lane; its night time and the sky is dark purple and you’re surrounded by stars.

Forever Isn't Long Enough arrives 7 May via Chess Club Records.

More about: Alfie Templeman