More about: Peaness

Forming in 2013, Peaness have been fixtures on the indie venue circuit for a number of years now and almost a decade after they first got started, we’ve got their long-awaited debut album World Full of Worry in our hands.

Their indie-pop has shades of Lauran Hibberd and Dream Wife, but they’re very much their own band — their particular brand of fuzzy pop makes perfect use of harmonies from Jessica Branney and Carleia Balbenta, while Rachel Williams is a steadying force on the drums. As a trio on World Full of Worry, they manage to successfully mesh the upbeat with a touch of melancholia, and it’s never saccharine or overdone.

‘Kaizen’ has been out for a couple of years now and sounds as good as ever, both a highlight on this album and in their discography altogether. Of their pre-pandemic releases, it’s the only one to makes the cut — and deservedly so. While long-standing fans might mourn tracks like ‘Ugly Veg’, we’re very much looking to the future here: single ‘How I’m Feeling’ is pure power pop that packs a serious punch with lyrics like “I can’t help/How I’m feeling’, while ‘Irl’ has shades of 2010s Paramore, particularly in the intro.

‘Worry’ is another highlight, reminiscent of stripped-back early-2010s pop rock. World Full of Worry culminates with ‘Sad Song’, the longest track on the album and one that’s beautifully tender and emotive—a fitting end to a strong debut.

World Full of Worry arrives 6 May.

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More about: Peaness