Electronic-popstar goes dream folk

Georgia Gets By, better known as Georgia Nott, comes from a synthesized, heavily produced, pop background. She initially rose to fame in 2013 when her family band, Broods, released their first self-titled EP. This electropop band from New Zealand consists of Georgia and her brother, Caleb Nott, who continue to create art together to this day. However, Georgia has not been afraid to step outside of her Broods box. In 2018, The Venus Project was born. This project was entirely women-led and consisted of one album, Vol 1. This album was more similar to the music of Broods due to its reliance on electronics but it has a darker, less poppy connotation. Georgia’s newest solo release, Fish Bird Baby Boy, has a sound of its own. This five-track EP strays from either of her past projects and leans into elements of folk and acoustics while putting a dreamy spin on things.

Georgia opens the album with “Oh Lana,” a song of desperation and unrequited love. This piece introduces the album timidly and is reminiscent of what can only be compared to an underwater Super Mario level. As the song progresses, her dreamy, layered vocals seem to get stronger and more confident as more instruments join in. The song remains soft even with the addition of guitars and drums which assert despair and dramatize her cries of “Would it be so bad to love you?” “Oh Lana” sets the scene for the rest of the album, showing the listener the type of dreamy music they will be introduced to.

The second track, “Easier to Run” plays with indie-rock elements by using multi-effected guitars and a simple, yet exciting, melody. This high-energy track is fun to listen to and can be enjoyed by many. This too can be said about Fish Bird Baby Boy’s third track “Happiness Is An 8 Ball.” 

The beginning of this song is bass-heavy and slow, allowing the listener to focus on the words. It then quickly transitions and picks up in the chorus. Crunchy guitars are introduced, filling the space with sound that was lacking in the beginning. The shift from dreamy, heavily reverbed notes to crunchy, grunge tones is something that happens often within this EP.

The fourth track, “So Free So Lonely” is the first song of the album that omits folk but still holds onto the dreamy theme of the album. The gentle, effortless vocals are soothing making this song an easy listen. 

Georgia Gets By concludes this release with the title track, “Fish Bird Baby Boy.” The final track of an album is oftentimes held to higher standards as the message must get across and the ideas that live within the music must come to an end. This song is slow and warm with the main focus being the Lana Del Rey-esque vocals. Acoustic guitar and piano act as support to the melody, rather than an integral part of the song. The theme of the track would reach the listener even without the accompaniment. The lyrics express feelings of confusion in regard to identity and share what feels like desperate pleas of trying to prove herself in order to gain affection and validation from someone. “Fish Bird Baby Boy” trails off without completing the final sentence making it feel like the ending of the EP was cut short somehow. This could plainly be a creative choice but looking deeper, tiredness is present. The exhaustion of being ignored and confused leads Georgia to stop begging “Hold me till I get back.” 

Fish Bird Baby Boy is an indie-folk-dream-pop amalgamation that yearns for answers and assurance. It is the feeling of trying to grab something that is slightly too far out to reach. The problems of reality and questions that follow are a hindrance to living and Georgia Gets By bestows struggles that many people can relate to. On the surface, this EP is just a dreamy mesh of sound but as you look deeper you may find parts of yourself within the music.