Sarah Meth – ‘STEPS’ EP review: a blend of sharp wit and emotional vulnerability
London-based singer-songwriter Sarah Meth has been making music for the past few years, yet her latest offering, STEPS, a six-track EP, is her most poignant release to date. STEPS is a bold and assured piece of work that is certain to propel Meth to a wider audience in the near future.
While writing the EP, Meth found herself using the songs as a vehicle to process sexual trauma. According to Meth, the EP “is about moving forward into the unknown,” using the record to take “ownership over some things that have happened”.
She added: “STEPS is ultimately about ‘making it through’ to define new versions of ourselves after such experiences.”
A mixture of strength and vulnerability plays out perfectly through STEPS, both sonically and lyrically. Meth blends biting humour with admirable honesty, showing her talents as much as a writer as an impressive vocalist. Opening the EP is ‘Intro/It Happens’, which uses anticipatory synths and keys to create the perfect build-up for the rest of the EP. Alongside the sleekly produced instrumentals are distinctively lo-fi vocal contributions from Meth, allowing her voice to float and twist with its own rhythm.
The EP often blends synthetic sounds with classic instruments, creating a dichotomy that reflects Meth’s blend of old and new influences. Previously highlighting artists from Karen Dalton to LCD Soundsystem and Massive Attack as sources of inspiration, Meth weaves this menagerie of artists into her own unique sound world. Yet, Meth’s strongest asset is perhaps her lyricism, which moves between witty remarks and confronting, emotionally-charged lines which will certainly resonate with many listeners, particularly – although not exclusively – young women.
Meth explores themes of sexual assault with astute sensitivity, such as ‘Red Hands’. “I thought you were my friend,” she sings. The simple, almost childlike nature of the line makes it all the more heartbreaking and gut-wrenching. A dizzying instrumental section appears to replicate the chaos of processing trauma, evoking the feeling of attempting to harness thoughts racing at 100 miles per hour.
The two-minute-long ‘Steps’ is another standout, with Meth delivering a saddening yet vital diary-like snippet about assault, singing, “I called a helpline and told her my name/ and all the times that I’ve unwillingly got laid.”
Elsewhere, ‘Sister, You Said’ sees Meth comically yet sensitively remark, “I was like a sister, you said/ But it seems wrong to me to give your sister head,” demonstrating the singer’s ability to use humour that doesn’t detract from the importance of her words. The hazy backing vocals help to pull Meth out of complete melancholy by bringing a sense of unity and warmth to the track, making it feel like a nod of understanding from Meth to her listeners.
The EP ends with arguably the strongest track, ‘Fucktoy’, a powerful reclamation that sees Meth take ownership of a situation through playfully hard-hitting words, evoking the magnificent wit of Amy Winehouse. Meth’s third EP is her most accomplished collection of songs to date, revealing a highly gifted writer with enough lyrical bite to keep even the most instrumentally subdued moments afloat.
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