Charli Adams embraces emotional healing on her nothing to be scared of EP

There has been a spate of artists mining the 80s and 90s for nostalgia of late, using the bright shiny pop corners of those decades that dealt with escapism and fun to reflect the current pop milieu, however listening to nothing to be scared of it’s obvious that Charli Adams’ inspiration is drawn instead from the noughties rock and indie emo scene.

Personal drama and history are detailed with a sharp eye and a keen poetic voice – Adams has found her way out physically but tethers to the near past remain as she sings, “It’s weird to watch your mum grow up / When you’re a kid not old enough / To know that you’ll keep growing.” There’s a cathartic authenticity within the melodrama, doused in pop-rock chords and melodies.

Each three-minute song breezes by, individual vignettes reflecting on love, loss, or memory, and Adams is unapologetically herself with her vulnerabilities on display. It’s hard not to be swept up in her evocative world-building. There’s a shared lyrical sensibility in many songs which doesn't help them to stand apart with an individual voice but as an artist growing into her own style Adams’ takes on her emotions and applies a therapeutic analysis, as she sings on "High Achiever," “I guess you could call me a dreamer / Never been a high achiever / Live my life and I keep repeating / Wanna do something with some meaning.”

Standout track “Cry Over Everything” marries disarming lyrics over melancholic riffs and expressive drums in the chorus as it details its raw emotions, “All that I know is I know how I'm feeling / Letting it go, that’s how I’m healing.” The EP’s closing title track “I’ve got it from here” on the other hand has hushed confessional vocals, Adams delivering like an echo of Eliott Smith, "A month away from 25 / But I’ve been scared most of my life / But more afraid to show it," – she’s finally able to transfer her own maturity to her parent. The song beautifully conjures her self-empowerment, reflecting Adams’ sense of determined resilience and builds to a fuller, echoing finish as it rounds the EP out on the ultimate positive note.