Blu DeTiger creates her own branch of gen Z funk-pop on her hazy debut EP, How Did We Get Here?

Sonically, DeTiger dips in and out of lo-fi pop, rife with vivid funk explosions, and bass-heavy interludes. How Did We Get Here? is a quirky EP, and a fittingly sweet introduction to the world of New York's new bass aficionado. Whilst opener, the viral hit “Figure It Out”, is arguably where DeTiger found her fame, it’s throughout the rest of the EP where she truly shines.

The alt-disco instrumental “disco banger but you’re crying in the bathroom” is an effortlessly upbeat ode shadow of a disco track. It’s a rejuvenation of the genre for the modern age; groovy, catchy and sprinkled with just the right amount of gen Z angst.

“Night Shade” is another stand out moment. Here her luminous vocals dance over a slinky bassline, sprinkled with some glittering funk guitar - there’s something about this track that’s just so cool. Whether this be the fluid lyricism or the frankly fantastic adlibs, it’s a tune embossed with an elegant groove.

However, not every track lands as well as these. The viral opener, although catchy, just feels too laidback for an otherwise bouncing EP. The bassline lacks lucidity, and the hook just misses its target. Similar critiques can be said about “Cotton Candy Lemonade”. Although dulcet breaks are often welcomed on full-length albums, something feels off about having an otherwise carefree EP stop so suddenly in its tracks to welcome in a more sombre tone.

Throughout the rest of the EP, we’re served infectious visions of the perfect boy (“Vintage”), frisson-inducing rhythms and radiant backing vocals (“Toast with the Butter”) and some devilishly fun auras of an outdoor disco (“Kinda Miss You”). No matter the strain of pop, DeTiger asserts herself wholeheartedly within the body of the music.

Although How Did We Get Here? sometimes loses itself in its attempt at deeper moments, it makes up for it with the youthful exuberance in the rest of the tracks. Perfectly mixing feelings of sweetness, coolness and glitter, Blu DeTiger has begun to master her craft, while welcoming in a (not too) distant summer.