With ‘Animal’, Bristol-based singer-songwriter Elly Hopkins steps confidently into her own alt-rock, Americana-inflected world, delivering a debut EP that hums with grit, grace, and a wonderfully enigmatic edge.
Across five tracks, Hopkins blends heavy strumming guitars with contemplative soundscapes and incisive storytelling, all carried by a voice that feels both seasoned and intimate. The EP opens with ‘Cecile’, a perfect introduction to Hopkins’ sonic palette. Its subtle rocking licks and reflective atmosphere immediately draw you in, setting the tone for the emotional terrain ahead. The title track follows as an even stronger statement; energetic, soulful, and driven by vocals that command the entire EP forward. There’s a fire, a sense of propulsion that underscores Hopkins’ strengths as both a performer and a songwriter.
‘Kintsugi’ slows the pace but deepens the mood, showcasing Hopkins’ signature guitar lines with a gentle, almost ballad-like approach. It’s a charming, thoughtful track that adds emotional weight to the collection, revealing a tenderness at the heart of the project. ‘Bets’ shifts into a more dreamlike, less guitar-forward soundscape. Her voice shines bright on it, soft, expressive, and theatrical, lifting the song into an ethereal space that broadens the EP’s sonic range.
Closing track ‘One Man Band’ brings the energy back up with sass and sparkle. This up-tempo alternative rock tune, touched with a little country twang, is both uplifting and sharply crafted. Its wit, playfulness, and confident production make it a standout, and personal favourite, finale, it’s energetic yet measured, bold yet warmly inviting.
Across ‘Animal’, Hopkins charts a journey of tenderness and tenacity, embracing paradox with striking ease. Having already made her mark as a jazz vocalist on major stages, she uses this debut to carve out her own lane. For fans of artists like Sharon Van Etten, Angie McMahon, Big Thief, and Margaret Glaspy, ‘Animal’ offers a luminous and lived-in first chapter from a songwriter ready for an exciting path ahead.
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