Pillowprince hits the mark on a genre-bending & spanning EP, "pretty, baby!"
In a music climate where genre lines have all but disappeared, it takes more than just ambition to truly synthesize disparate styles into something that feels fresh and urgent. Enter pretty, baby!, the debut EP from Oakland’s Pillowprince, a four-track collection that boldly stitches together indie rock, shoegaze haze, slowcore melancholia, and queercore defiance into a sharp, emotionally charged, and unapologetically queer statement. Released via the reliably progressive Dune Altar label, pretty, baby! isn’t just a promising debut — it’s a necessary one.
From its opening moments, the EP crackles with a kinetic, deeply personal energy. Lead vocalist and guitarist Olivia Lee, who also produced the record, commands the center with a voice that’s equal parts vulnerability and razor-edged confidence. It’s a performance style that calls to mind icons like Shirley Manson and Adrianne Lenker, yet feels wholly their own, threading queerness, grief, joy, and rebellion into every phrase.
“Mercurial”, one of the advance singles, sets the tone: a swirl of fuzzed-out guitars, insistent drums, and Lee’s pleading, soaring vocals. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s ever felt untethered, its chorus equal parts euphoric release and existential scream. Beau Sorenson’s mix (whose credits include Death Cab for Cutie and Thao & The Get Down Stay Down) captures the track’s carefully calibrated chaos with warmth and clarity, letting each distorted guitar wash and bassline bloom without ever muddying Lee’s voice.
But it’s “R the Straights OK” that feels destined to become a queer underground anthem. Sardonic and confrontational with a wry smirk, it pulses with queercore DNA — recalling the righteous fury of early Pansy Division and Team Dresch — while still feeling of-the-moment. Pillowprince harnesses that classic punk spirit but delivers it through a lush, indie rock sheen, punctuated by shimmering guitars and an irresistibly catchy hook that practically demands a sweaty, shouting singalong in a basement show or festival crowd.
What makes this EP remarkable is how seamlessly Pillowprince blends these genre elements into a sound that feels immediate and cohesive. It’s an EP that speaks to queerness not as an accessory, but as a lived experience — messy, joyful, pissed-off, sensual, and inextricably tied to community. And it does so with sharp hooks, inspired production, and enough fuzzed-out guitar glory to satisfy even the most jaded indie rock fan.
In a world increasingly saturated with algorithm-baiting indie playlists and derivative sounds, pretty, baby! is a reminder of what makes underground music essential: it dares to be personal, political, and fun all at once. Pillowprince aren’t just one to watch — they’re already here, loud and clear.
Through four songs, the band undoubtedly shows you what they’re made of. It’s a record worth enjoying in full, so please, click those links below to listen up and follow along for more!
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