Favourite EPs of 2019 / Sounds Good

After bigging up as much music as possible over the last twelve months, it’s time for list week! The most wonderful time of the year for music fans, and today we’re underway with Sounds Good’s Favourite EPs of 2019! Much like every other music-related publication out there, Sounds Good will be listing its favourite singles, EPs and albums of the year. I’ll be doing things a little different and will name my favourite EPs rather than attempt to decide on the BEST, as that would drive me insane.

Thank you to every artist, PR person and record label who has submitted music to Sounds Good this year. Without them, this would be the quietest music blog around. Please note that it was hard to cut down each list to an acceptable number, and that the releases featured were some that have remained in constant rotation on my listening this year.

Each listing will contain links to the review of each EP as well as the EP itself, so that you too can listen to the ones that helped shape my 2019. Sounds Good will be taking a break over the holidays and will return in January, so make sure to check it out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so you won’t miss out! With all that said, let’s get underway!

SOUNDS GOOD’S FAVOURITE EPS OF 2019

CALLUM PITT / POISONED REVERIES
Callum Pitt had a momentous 2019 with the release of his debut EP Poisoned Reveries and also underwent his first ever tour too. What I loved about this EP was how he managed to make every song sound massive while backed up with instrumentation that was allowed to grow naturally. It’s got a great feeling of support and has that uplifting quality to it that was rarely heard on other EPs.

FALSE FRIENDS / A GREAT DAY FOR THE PARISH
False Friends delivered an EP that I described as like battling “The Beast” Brock Lesnar and it remains true, even after many repeated listens. Ah man, the intro to “God on a Hill” gets me every time. It’s possibly the most upbeat intro I’ve heard all year and sets the tone for one hell of an EP.

FOXGLUVV / I NEVER FELT HOLLYWOOD
Foxgluvv is an artist we’ve followed throughout her career on Sounds Good, and always wished to release more substantial material. Fortunately she dropped her debut EP I Never Felt Hollywood and satisfied that need for more. Not only does the EP showcase her 80’s throwback, lo-fi sound but it also highlights her upbringing and gives an honest insight into her experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a bold record that isn’t afraid to show vulnerability, making for one hell of a listen.

HALIA JACK / DREAMLAND
Halia Jack burst onto the scene with the phenomenal “Waited Long Enough”, a single that immediately had me hooked and left me wanting more. With her fantastic debut EP Dreamland, Halia details a troublesome set of life experiences but delivers it in a way that shows acceptance and progression.

HOLLY REES / “TEXT ME WHEN YOU GET THERE”: THE LIVE EP
Holly Rees spent 2019 embarking on a tour of Canada performing in various venues, festivals and did so in a campervan named Bear and a crowdfunded backing. BADASS. This led to the release of her live EP “Text Me When You Get There”, a live recording of her final show in Newcastle before she headed overseas.

Backed with a full band and a live atmosphere, Holly’s songs are given a new perspective that converts them into fully fledged, massive tunes that excel tremendously in their new setting. The extra beef to the sound helps create a stronger impact to her lyricism, which ring out and cut through just as hard throughout.

LAURAN HIBBERD / EVERYTHING IS DOGS
If I could change anything about Sounds Good 2019, it’s that I should’ve featured Lauran Hibberd a lot more. Lauran enjoyed a phenomenal 2019 which saw a steady stream of releases accompanied with hilarious music videos, but the crowning glory was her debut EP Everything is Dogs. This record boasts four songs that perfectly combine Lauran’s witty lyricism with heavy topics and instrumentals that hit hard with riffs and hooks throughout. From the wonderfully morbid “Sugar Daddy” to the larger-than-life “Shark Week”, you’ve got everything you need in Everything is Dogs.  

LAZYBONES / BANG! BANG!
It takes a lot to leave a lasting impression and Brighton’s Lazybones did exactly that with their debut EP Bang! Bang! The second “Fashion Victim” hits, you know you’re in for a hellacious ride into some seriously good Punk music. What follows is an EP that hits just as hard, and leaves your brain dribbling out of your head. Yummy.

PEOPLE CLUB / KIL SCOTT
People Club’s Kil Scott may have come out towards the end of 2019, but it has all the qualities to leave a mark on you. This EP focuses on a character called Scott who displays all of the toxic masculinity that needs to be rid from this world and produces a record that’s thrilling. Numerous elements come together to create a sound that hits hard but keeps an eye on the hips, throwing a middle finger to Scott. It’s an EP that celebrates freedom in sexuality and love, and promotes something we should all get behind.

PLANET HUNTER / PLANET HUNTER
Planet Hunter certainly stood out from the crowd with their Donald Trump/Voldemort hybrid artwork, and fortunately they backed it up with an excellent EP. Planet Hunter is a hellacious attack on the mind but one that delivers some excellent material throughout. It’s heavy, massive and one of the most entertaining listens around.

TOBY CHARLES / SPACES IN BETWEEN
Anything that involves Toby Charles is sure to be a good time and fortunately the Worcestershire-based musician was quite productive this year. You might’ve read how much I loved his latest single “Rather Be (With You)” but the Tobester also released an EP that also brought the good vibes to the forefront. Backed by organic instrumentation and soaring harmonies, Spaces in Between showcases the fantastic voice of Toby Charles and his sheer talent in songwriting too. Gosh, I think I love this guy.