Separation, distance, and fallout. The image of Space Island in the context of lead singer Georgia Nott’s marriage breakdown becomes clearer.
The instrumentation from Caleb Nott and slick production combines elements of 80s pop, with a more modern pop-funk sound; popular with artists like BENEE or Remi Wolf. Thumping synth bass, tight beats, and varied use of synth tones give energy and buoyancy. In contrast, the lyrics cover patterns of emotion emulating the seven stages of grief.
The opening track ‘Goodbye World, Hello Space Island’ is shock, feelings of helplessness, of immediate romanticisation and deprivation when a relationship ends. Denial comes next in the deceivingly upbeat ‘Piece of My Mind’ as Georgia Nott tries to distract herself from her own thoughts through any destructive means necessary. Anger and bargaining seem to ping-pong during the rest of the tracklisting. ‘Distance and Drugs’, with its woozy, trance-inducing synth backing, circles sick mantras and unknown questions—do they still love me? Do they think of me the way they used to?
‘Like A Woman’ expresses Nott’s anger at not being treated as an equal while testing what their time together offers her moving forward. ‘Days Are Passing’ is depression—time passing, not being in control, sleeping in late, destructive habits, feeling isolated from the world.
The album doesn’t entirely reach acceptance. But, on ‘If You Fall in Love’, Nott admits her flaws while still wishing things could have worked out. These songs describe identifiable themes of heartbreak, detachment, estrangement, and loss.
BROODS still meet their benchmark—producing well-crafted, reflective pop song bangers.
