Frances Mistry is a star on the rise. Having received praise from Radio 1’s Jack Saunders and performing at the BBC Introducing stage at this year’s The Great Escape festival, plus landing on Spotify’s Fresh Finds of the Month, there’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Brighton artist. On her debut EP, conversations with those i love, Frances shows exactly why.
Inspired by the likes of Clairo, Faye Webster and Beabadoobee, Frances creates soundscapes that take power in their softness. On conversations with those i love, five tracks take us on an emotive and insightful journey that leaves you feeling well connected with her. Almost as if we weren’t supposed to intrude, but its sound makes it hard not to listen in.
“A collection of 5 songs close to my heart, dealing with complicated relationships to both people and the world. The focus track released alongside the EP, shock to my system, is about feeling so unmotivated and like you need a hard reset to be okay again. I wrote it in a really dark period of my life and it was a song to myself to keep going.”
As mentioned above, ‘shock to my system’ opens the EP with a hard reset. Bringing a sombre instrumental comprised of acoustic chords, the lightest of piano keys and Country-like melodies, that houses the vocals wonderfully. Lyrically, Frances explains how she’s simply been existing, worrying about things she can’t control and realising that a change is needed. The rolling percussion feels like it tries to get something going – like a rise out of bed from somebody with purpose. It does a great job conjuring up vivid imagery while also sounding direct and honest, and sets the tone for what’s to come.
‘when i look in her eyes’ brings an even more insightful listen, as Frances challenges the feelings she has towards a friend of the same gender, and questions their validity and whether it’s worth the risk to pursue things:
“This is one of my favourite songs I’ve ever made and it feels so special. It’s about liking someone of the same gender but ultimately questioning yourself. Personally, my experience is from the point of view of having never dated anyone so how am I really sure I know what I’m feeling? It’s also about not wanting to lose a friend because you like them in that way so just moving on and keeping that to yourself. This is my first openly queer song and so to finally let everyone hear it means a lot, but is also quite daunting.”
“The EP as a whole I worked with Martyn Barker of shriekback who did the drums and also let me use his studio room to produce so I wasn’t just in my room. I feel like I’m finally finding my sound and it’s such a relief to have it out in the world finally.”
There’s a ton of vulnerability on show, which can be heard through Frances’s vocals, and illustrated by cautious guitars and shimmering melodies, creating a wonderful performance. It’s no wonder people feel so connected to her music. This is contrasted by ‘something has to give’, which follows with an impassioned take on the results of last year’s General Election, and how Labour have become “more of the same” rather than a party of change. While it fits within the dreamy atmosphere of the EP, it does have some urgency to it, and some takes that only add to the relatability.
conversations with those i love is a fantastic EP. Instrumentally, it’s rich with melodies, harmonies and moods that make each song envelop one another, making it so easy to listen to. Lyrically, it brings a range of themes that are projected in a way that’s direct, but in keeping with the dreamier sound. It’s one of the most personal EPs I’ve heard this year, and is so neatly crafted. Frances Mistry is great, and I can see that the buzz is absolutely justified.