New York City-based indie pop group Emmerson And Her Clammy Hands emerges with their second self-titled EP out June 18. Fronted by singer-songwriter Emma Pierson, the band’s newest collection explores “the phenomenon of wanting; the condition of living within one’s imagination, how colorful and dynamic that world is,” as quoted in a statement.
Pierson, who has been writing songs since a teenager, shines in her narrative songwriting. Their first single “Missing You,” fits snug as a popular love song complimented with tart self-reflection, all while sitting in a pool of patience. With quiet vocal attention, lounge-adjacent melodies and instrumentals working together, the track operates like staying perfectly in line on a balance beam. There’s moderation and concentration, but it’s never excessive.
A reimagination of a sound from their 2018 EP Crazy 4 Love, “Missing You” already stands as a ripe and produced number equipped with all layers to enter the indie pop scene. With a feathered punk grit in the likes of Lady Lamb or Anna Burch strung along with a climactic guitar solo that transitions into an acoustic slowdown, the track proves versatility in just under three minutes. Wrapped neatly in a beautiful and simple denouement, Pierson ends with a mark, singing, “I’ve got to practice missing you / Cause you might disappear / I’ve gotta practice loving you / When you’re not here.”