SINGLE REVIEW: PIEN - FINE

Having reviewed many artists from Europe, it's time to break new ground and cover one from the Netherlands in Pien. As ever proving that you don't need huge amounts of instrumentation to make interesting music Pien's new single "Fine" starts with just a prominent drum beat and an acoustic guitar which at times is cut through by a "Wicked Games" style electric guitar. With stunning simplicity, it creates a definite atmosphere that makes you want to hear more.

"Sunday afternoon

Wrapped up in the duvet

Watching my favourite cartoons

Flower patterned pj's on

Haven't felt this freedom in so long

Thinking of those days where have they gone?

Pien who is based between London & Amsterdam released an EP in May and has some eclectic forthcoming live dates in Shepherd's Bush, Ealing and Walthamstow. The cover for "Fine" has her pictured in a bar with vinyl racks on the wall. Information about her is scant, she's an indie powerhouse apparently which does not seem to tie in with this release however she is also described as pulling in a number of influences. Quite where "Fine" fits in the scheme of things, is a little unclear - it is undoubtedly though very good.

That opening verse is sung in a dreamy casual style, which seems to tie in with the feelings of release being expressed - free to lay in on a Sunday and watch cartoons wondering where your life has gone. No particular context is given as to why it might be like this - we'll hazard a guess at some sort of life changing event like a break up, but it would be pure conjecture.

There a pre chorus section which echoes the final line of the verse

"Thinking of those days where have they gone?

Before the chorus changes up a gear, Pien provides her own additional backing vocals but the overall blueprint remains relatively basic.

"Maybe I'm fine but I've figured it out

Plenty of time to turn it around

I am good, better than I think

Those rose coloured glasses don't change anything

Maybe I'm fine but I've figured it out"

The chorus seems full of hope, that things might not be so bad after all.

The second verse returns to the initial sound of the track, it feels like a flashback possibly the moment when things started to go wrong. Some subtle additional guitar work is buried low in the mix

"Sunday afternoon

Patch of sun with pint in hand

In early June

Flowers surrounding you

Something's missing

Where's the pieces, where's the groove?"

The bridge does see the overall sound expand somewhat, the electric guitar is given free reign to make some noise however no additional lyrics make things any clearer.

The final chorus is 50% stripped back acoustic while the second half sees a more rawkus approach.

It is undoubtedly poppy in an Americana way and almost certainly asks more questions than it answers but that is no bad thing. Pien also has a secondary career in styling and something tells us that this will not the last review we'll be penning for this most interesting of characters.