Zander – ‘No Silver’ EP review: With refinement, we could have a pop gem
The concept of the debut EP has been making a strong comeback in the past decade, with many realising that it’s the best way to establish new talents with their audience, while still also testing the waters and figuring out exactly what works best for them stylistically.
For Yorkshire-born indie pop newcomer Zander, things aren’t exactly perfect on No Silver, but you get the feeling that the refinement isn’t far away.
The Skinny: On his first collection of five songs for Chess Club Records, home to other songwriters of a similar ilk such as Alfie Templeman and Phoebe Green, Zander comes out swinging with the strongest track of the bunch in ‘New Woman’.
With its new wave flavours and an earworm of a hook that will implant itself in the listener in an instant, you get the feeling that there’s incredible promise in what the multi-instrumentalist has to offer.
However, while the punch of the opener has a certain oddball charm to it, ‘Dance Around My Bedroom’ and ‘Lost Cause’ follow up with a far more anthemic take on pop craftsmanship.
There’s nothing wrong with him casting a wide net and aiming for greater commercial appeal, but the uniqueness slips away from his clutches in his attempts to make something in this vein.
The EP then closes out proceedings with ‘Madeline’ and ‘Not My Love’, two more stripped-back and tender cuts that showcase another side to Zander.
With less flashy production vying for the listener’s attention, we’re left to focus on Zander more as a vocalist and songwriter rather than being blasted with glossiness, and this is also something that he’s evidently got a knack for creating, and wouldn’t be unwelcome on future releases.
The Verdict: Zander is evidently still finding his feet on No Silver, hence it only showcases a few brief forays into different stylistic territories, but when he finds his groove in one, then the flashes of brilliance begin to emerge.
A few tweaks and adjustments down the line, and we could be looking back on this as where a future star began an epic journey, but for now, it’s just an amuse-bouche of the many different directions he could potentially choose to follow.
Defining track: ‘New Woman’
Release Date: November 14th, 2025 | Producer: Hugo M Hardy | Label: Chess Club Records
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