Biig Piig – Bubblegum

Slick pop moves delivered in a dreamy, hazy style...

Biig Piig is an artist with an already glowing career. With recent critical acclaim from the BBC, as well as her consistent and high-calibre musical output since early 2017, Irish singer-songwriter and multi-talent Jessica Smyth, better known as Biig Piig, has never showed any signs of slowing down. And after what feels like forever, Biig Piig’s debut mixtape has finally arrived. ‘Bubblegum’ is a dreamy and hazy slick batch of tracks, with Piig delivering the sharpest and most concise version of her signature alt-pop sounds to date. 

The record kicks off with ‘Only One’, a smooth and sleek chill-pop moment. Production-wise the track flicks between 80s synthesiser sonics and modern trap-type drums, and Biig Piig’s vocal performances is as clean and refined as ever. Much of the record also delivers club sensibilities, with ‘Kerosene’ dropping in and out of a bass-heavy, almost Kaytranada-type groove. Biig Piig’s vocal work throughout the track is reserved and contained, but oozes ounces of charisma, every word carefully delivered. ‘Liquorice’ continues a dance feel, this time leaning into garage grooves. Though Piig chooses the chilled angle of dance music on this one; ‘Liquorice’ is more of a dreamy haze than club-ready banger, and Piig continues to impress with her genre-bending capabilities.

‘Picking Up’ features fellow indie starlet Deb Never, the duo joining forces on a track culminating in a ferocious drum break, topped with the pair’s ethereal vocals and overdriven guitars. It was also produced by Mac Wetha, his signature production style instantly recognisable with the track’s woozy and wobbly guitars, and the distorted ones; plus, the nostalgic, vintage and tape-machine feel of the track. The blend of organic sounds with digitised ones is a unique style, especially when executed in such a brilliant fashion. 

A debut mixtape or record is always a seminal point in an artist’s career. It can be the start, or to be blunt, the end for some. Though in this case, ‘Bubblegum’ is the most creative, well-thought-out and simply fun project to come out of the UK alt-pop scene in quite some time. Biig Piig continues to improve, every release getting her closer and closer to the stratosphere – and even that won’t stop her rise. 

7/10

Words: James Mellen

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