Album Review: Loveletter – Testament

New York City based trio’s self-released debut EP delivers a nuanced approach to post-punk.

Composed of vocalist and guitarist Gabriella Zapia, bassist Dennie Gray, and drummer Melissa Houston, Loveletter introduces themselves as a group merging a DIY punk mindset painted with grungy guitar riffs and notes of avant-garde. 

Testament perfects a necessary balance for a debut record as it displays great attention to detail in mixing and production while preserving the rawness that allows Loveletter’s live sound to still be captured. Although only comprising four tracks and spanning a mere 15 minutes, Testament’s brevity allows each piece to stand on its own through a diverse array of tempos, rhythms and song construction. While still retaining stability, Zapia’s heavy, punk influenced guitar riffs contrast her breathy deliveries reminiscent of Portishead. 

The EP begins with a fast paced bass line in “Bully,” continuing until an abrupt tempo change in the chorus which is met with a series of detuned guitar chords. The second track, “Dead Weight,” opens with searing feedback and a melody evocative of Bleach-era Nirvana’s “Blew,” subsequently leading the listener to anticipate a riotous vocal performance that instead remains nearly monotone before Zapia soars into the hook. Alternatively, “Prophets” offers an almost pop feel through a quicker upbeat tempo paired with a melodic, repetitive guitar riff — highlighting Loveletter’s ability to pull their audience in a variety of sonic directions.

The highlight of Testament comes in the closing track “Burn Up On Reentry.” The opening minute finds Zapia, Gray and Houston perfectly complimenting each other as the guitar and bass subject the listener to contrasting melodies seamlessly weaved together through Houston’s spacious percussion. At the arrival of the chorus, these contrasts break as all three fall into unison into the culmination of a gritty delivery synonymous to the resentment presented in Zapia’s vocals. 

Lyrically, Testament explores themes of damaged relationships, clever enough to allow Zapia to express her inner turmoil, while maintaining a sense of ambiguity that allows the listener to interpret the context of the singer’s misgivings in their own experiences. Zapia successfully interweaves poetic lines through vivid melodies while sparingly using a repetitive chorus- opting to deliver of a single verse reiterated within each refrain as heard on “Prophets” or completely changing lyrics while maintaining the same melodic structure as presented on “Burn Up On Reentry.” Zapia’s writing style allows Loveletter’s avant-garde influences to be highlighted in straying away from a traditional verse-chorus-verse style common in post-punk, fully demonstrating their distinct character.

Offering an mistakable style in their four track-debut, Loveletter’s mix of avant garde, grunge, and post-punk leaves an exciting future for the New York City trio as they continue to paint the eccentric sonic-scapes featured throughout Testament.