Girlhood - Girlhood

The Guardian 0

(Team Talk)
The shape-shifting duo, who met on a boat, channel Moby and the Avalanches on their solid debut

Singer-songwriter Tessa Cavanna and producer Christian Pinchbeck first crossed paths in 2017. He heard her singing, so the story goes, when she walked past his narrowboat in east London and was so impressed he invited her to hop on board and record in his studio. The resulting project, Girlhood, marry sweet, soaring vocals with iPad instrumentals, channelling the expansive spirit of the Avalanches and the gospel-tinged beats of Moby. In other words, at times they can sound anachronistic.

It’s the older tracks, such as Bad Decisions and Milk & Honey, that really shine on their self-titled debut – the former with its taut percussion and uplifting vocals; the latter all spiralling melodies and trip-hoppy scratches. Queendom, meanwhile, is smooth and soft, while Fever Sweat recalls the atmospheric warmth of producer Flume, and Keep On and The Love I Need possess a housey euphoria. So, while there’s nothing especially fresh-sounding here, Girlhood is a solid set of breezy electropop with a hint of future possibilities.