EP REVIEW: Redwood – The Offering

a band that increasingly feel surprisingly special. Their subtle inventiveness places their sound just outside of any clear categorisation, yet does so without feeling at all inaccessible. ‘The Offering’ acts as a glimpse of a band with something truly phenomenal to give

After releasing their debut album, ‘Beside a Setting Sun’, back in 2020, Redwood have been hard at work keeping themselves present. With two singles and a tour with prog-rock legends The Dear Hunter under their belts, Redwood have entered their latest era, with a new four-track EP, ‘The Offering’.

Continuing on with their inventive blend of post-rock and pop-rock, what Redwood produces across the span of this EP is a body of work that is as immensely enjoyable as it is intelligently put together, with infectious pop hooks woven in between complex and often beautiful musical soundscapes. It’s rich with musical depth, and frankly, leaves you wishing it was even longer.

The lead single ‘Oh Love’ is a huge summer indie pop anthem, with its simple but catchy melodies, and hugely infectious ‘oh love’ hook. Despite the bittersweet lyricism, the song feels absolutely celebratory in nature, just begging to be blasted from the car radio on a long drive. 

‘Vixen’ brings the band’s more progressive, emo adjacent stylings to the forefront, with gorgeous weaving bass lines overlaying mathy percussive rhythms that add a real groove to the whole affair. Sublime vocal melodies are showcased throughout, but that comment could be made for the entire EP; vocalist Alex Birchall lends a comforting yet playful tone to proceedings, culminating in songs that are able to feel both whimsical and cathartic. 

‘Dahlia’ stack absolutely huge choruses against genuinely beautiful verses that showcase some superb vocal harmonies. The track gently evolves as it rolls through its five minute runtime, rising up into a sweeping climax that slowly fades out. The EP closes out with ‘The Offering’, which is a wonderfully sparse piece of music; prominent plucked synth notes back verses soaked with ambience, before vaulting into soaring choruses that bring the whole EP to a spectacular finish.

Redwood are a band that increasingly feels surprisingly special. Their subtle inventiveness places their sound just outside of any clear categorisation, yet does so without feeling at all inaccessible. ‘The Offering’ acts as a glimpse of a band with something truly phenomenal to give; an album within them that could go down as an indie cult classic. It’s an EP that gives you a lot to feel excited about. 

RATING: 85/100 – Mostly Excellent

For Fans Of: Origami Angel, Coldplay, Mew, Adjy

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Twitter // Spotify