Alt-pop artist Bülow has returned with her new EP Booty Call. The five track EP is the artist’s first body of work since 2019, though she has released some one off singles in the interim. On Booty Call, Bülow is exploring desire, trust and betrayal through different lenses.
Bülow is best known for her song “You & Jennifer,” a song to a lover who cheated. It’s fueled by pain, anger and disappointment. On Booty Call, Bülow explores what it’s like to be on the other side of things, to not be ready to fully commit to a relationship, to want to avoid strings and attachments. She may be switching perspectives, but she continues to deliver catchy melancholic melodies and observant lyrics.
The EP opens with “Don’t Break His Heart” which is probably the strongest song of the collection. This edgy, fuzzed out guitar driven track is a confession of how uncomfortable she is with her lover trying to tie her down. In the second verse she questions, “But how come when we pulled up to the party / And you put your arms around me /I started searching for exit signs?” And yet while she is uncomfortable, she doesn’t know how to admit this without hurting her lover. While the lyrics are vulnerable and emotional, the track they’re sung over is full of bravado and give the song an anthemic feel.
“Playing Me Back” is another energetic track, though it’s quite short. This song is about the games being played in a relationship, intentionally trying to push each other’s buttons to get your partner to pay attention. Its brevity keeps the song intriguing, though it feels like the story isn’t fully explored.
The title track is surprisingly stripped back and vulnerable. Over a more stripped back track produced by Finneas, Bülow explains her aversion to commitment while pining after someone. She doesn’t care if the person has other girls they’re seeing. She just wants to pop in and out and keep things simple. It’s a curiously emotional track, but it works quite well.
The pining continues on “Mona’s Dad.” On another stripped back, spacey track Bülow is down bad for one of her friend’s dads. This confessional track paints a full picture of her obsession with a man she’ll never have.
The final track puts Bülow back in the perspective of the wronged. But this time she’s moving on with someone new. Oh, and she took his car. The track pivots back to a more rock driven sound, but it doesn’t quite goes as hard as the lyrics could warrant.
Booty Call is a solid collection of songs from a young artist who’s maturing into a new perspective on the world. While it leaves more to be desired, it will keep fans excited for more from the singer-songwriter.
