WRITTEN BY OSCAR ORTEGA
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Photo by Minnie McAndrews
The end of the year is the perfect time for self reflection. As the clock quickly approaches another New Years celebration, it may be easy to forget about the lovers left on delivered, the friendships lost along the way, or the miniscule events that continue to run across our mind from time to time. Tessa Phillips’ new EP Wastelands is a recollection of these moments in retrospect. “These songs were not inspired by one situation or event, but rather my life over time since my self sabotage EP,” Phillips tells me. “The song concepts all came about organically and I didn’t put pressure on myself to stick to a specific strategy or timeline.”
On Wastelands, Phillips captures vignettes of her past with immense colors. A light guitar melody introduces us to “Prison Break” as she describes reuniting with an ex. “Now that we’re feeling older / We got different weights on our shoulders,” she sings, her voice floating over muted synths and a simple drum loop.Then the track explodes into a moment of revelation. Synths burst with an ethereal drone, a pounding bassline rumbles throughout, with Phillips describing a situation all too familiar: an ex coming back as to not be alone. It’s easy to imagine ourselves making the right decisions in hindsight, but Wastelands presents these moments not as mistakes but growing pains; that’s what gives the EP its cutting edge.
Phillips documents growth not just in her lyrics but in her sound as well. The ideas she explored on 2025’s self sabotage are fully defined this time around. Softly strummed guitars and tepid pianos enchant the listener with their empty reverb, leaving space for the inevitable breakdown towards their final act. The melancholic piano ballad “Between Us” reminds of late night ruminations in the middle of the night, until the latter half melts into a volley of bass kicks and cascading synths. Or take “Heart of Gold,” where Phillips’ soft voice weaves through a Coldplay-like guitar progression before building towards a louder yet equally restrained finale.
It’s moments like these where Phillips’ voice rings with immense sincerity. She feels at home when surrounded by a beautifully orchestrated climax. This is evident in the closing track “Stranger Now,” where every chorus adds a new instrument, culminating in a finale that is full of life and emotion. Speaking on the track, Phillips noted how it was the first time she went into a song without “a concept with melody and lyrics.” It’s an approach that perfectly summarizes Wastelands. Sometimes, letting things pass through you results in something beautiful.
