Sarah McGowan – ‘Indian Summer’ EP (stream) (Premiere)

No, you’re not mistaken: on “Williamsburg Boy”, the opening track of her new EP, Indian Summer, New York City-based songwriter Sarah McGowan is indeed singing about the ever-bourgeoning Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg and not the California coast. Such a mistake is forgivable given the tune’s sunny surf rock vibes, in addition to its well-placed Valley Girl-ism (“I would literally fucking die”). Although this sonic isn’t repeated throughout Indian Summer, the rest of it does match “Williamsburg Boy”‘s elating handclaps and effortless hook, resulting in a brief yet undeniably catchy collection of indie pop numbers. McGowan is a singer that fans of twee pop best keep their eye out for.

McGowan tells PopMatters more about her EP: “Indian Summer allowed me to explore many sides of my music. Every song on the EP is inspired by a different style. For example, ‘Williamsburg Boy’ has a pop/surf-rock vibe, while ‘Molly’ is indie-folk. I’m in the very beginning of my musical career so it’s exciting for me to try out different sounds without feeling like I’m restricted to a specific genre. I can’t wait to find out which tracks people respond to best and continue writing new songs in the hopes of recording my first full length album.”

Indian Summer is out on 27 January.