In addition to catching new ears while opening for Wallice back in February, Utah-based songwriter Maz has accumulated a substantial following over the past two years with the release of a slew of singles which pay homage to the Tumblr-sphere circa the early 2010s. Artists like Santigold and Kitty come to mind when listening through her newly released debut EP, NPC, with the latter cloud-rap innovator being listed as an influence in Marley Guevara’s track-by-track breakdown she shared with us. Elsewhere in her recap, Blondie, Grimes, Daft Punk, and Ratatat materialize, with the smeared electronics of that last group especially evident in the outro to “Conondrums.”
Lyrically, Guevara notes that several of these five songs address personal experiences that directly contrast with the chilled-out instrumentals they land atop: the death of her grandfather for one, returning to an ex for another. Without simplifying the emotions embedded in her lyrics, Maz manages to make them easily palatable for the minimalist synthpop aesthetic she maintains across the release’s all-too-brief 12 minutes.
With the ironically quite playable NPC out now, stream through the release and read through Guevara’s breakdown of each track below. You can also purchase the EP via Winspear here.
1. “Kiss Kiss Boom”
I wrote this song while going through the intense and conflicting emotions of getting back with an ex. I love the contrast with the idea of a bomb going off lyrically while the beat itself is so mellow. Musically, I wanted to fuse a trip-pop drumbeat with an underwater vibe—I was drawing inspiration from the band Kitty on that.
2. “Conundrums”
A blend of Daft Punk and Ratatat-inspired sounds, I wanted to give off a sense of playful nostalgia. Lyrically, the song is about letting go of burdens and reconnecting with my inner child. It’s a call to worry less, love more, and embrace the joy of playfulness in life.
3. “Too Bad”
While writing this song, I was inspired by Blondie and Grimes. Vocally, I wanted to give off an ethereal vibe mixed with early, surfy Blondie. The meaning is just about faith and also shedding ego-driven desires.
4. “Wa Oh”
“Wa Oh” is a little ditty I envisioned [while] aiming for a slower ballad, and this track emerged beautifully. The song explores the idea of people choosing to leave your life against your will—not through death, but in a more personal and purposeful sense, and ultimately that becomes the best thing for you.
5. “Circle”
I wrote this song when my grandpa passed and I moved into my grandma’s house in a pretty uninspiring town. I felt like I was stuck in a depression “circle,” and this song was a vent to god. That’s about it.
