Ejae's Now Trash is tribute to her musical loves

Ejae

Now Trash

Mujigae, 2021.

7.9

Now Trash is an attempt for Ejae to merge her love of post-punk with her natural inclination to make music with a sharper punk edge.

We first heard Ejae on her epic, post-rock leaning 2018 single High High. On this, her new EP, she trades in the sweeping grandeur for a rawer, more abrasive sound. It's an accomplished release, and the heavily textured sound shows a gift for composition. It is also a pretty diverse release. Despite staying true to a core new-wave influence, Now Trash mixes in various genres, including post-punk, industrial, indie rock, and electronica.

There's nothing wrong with putting your inspirations at the forefront of your sound, and Ejae wears her influences well. However, when she repurposes these references into something new, is when she stands out as a performer. Album opener My God Loves Slippers, with its Human League synth lead and airy dream-pop textures, is an excellent example of this.

If it feels like this review contains many references to other artists, then that's fitting. Now Trash is an audio sample of Ejae's musical loves. A walk through the direct sounds and styles that have inspired her to make music. However, the album managers to stay on the right side of derivative thanks largely to Ejae's uncompromising attitude and unique approach to songwriting.