The release of a young artist’s debut work is always a special moment to witness. In this case, the upcoming artist in question is Luc Mats, a Dutch singer-songwriter. His EP, Endless Ride, combines light-hearted melodies with emotional lyrics, giving every single one of the five songs on the mini-album big radio potential.
The endless ride first takes us to ‘Neverland’. This fast-paced track toes the line between euphoria and nostalgia. The piano gives the song a melancholic touch, whereas the electric guitar takes it into more of an adventurous direction. ‘Neverland’ could easily be on the soundtrack of a coming-of-age film – picture a montage of beach bonfires and late-night drives.
Next up is ‘Louder’, by far the catchiest song on the EP. In fact, this is the kind of fun pop that has been missing in the music scene lately. The guitar tune does most of the heavy lifting on the song; however, the highlight is without a doubt the fast-paced bridge.
‘The Way I’m Loving You’ is catchy as well, and even though the lyrics are quite sad, the melody stays light-hearted. Mats has somehow made heartbreak danceable. Speaking of the lyrics, they are candid and direct without ever being clumsy. The lines “I wrote a song about you / The melody keeps messing with the lyrics / Like they’re caught in broken rhythmics” in particular are a testament to Mats’ songwriting abilities.
Both lyrically and sonically, the next track, ‘Like I Would’, is a lot more somber and allows Mats’ vocals to shine through. While the lyrics are very modern, referring to Snapchat and such, the melody and the general feel of the song are timeless – it might just as easily be an early 2000s heartbreak ballad.
With the end of the EP comes the title track ‘Endless Ride’. The production complements the song so well, and the piano melody is a lovely nod to the opening track ‘Neverland’. As a matter of fact, just like ‘Neverland’, ‘Endless Ride’ is a mixture of nostalgia and euphoria, therefore rounding off the EP with a full circle moment. ‘Endless Ride’ also sounds more mature than its predecessors, proving that we have officially left Neverland and continue the endless ride.
Overall, Endless Ride has a lot of heartfelt moments while also providing fun beats and fast-paced tunes. It’s perfect for fans of Niall Horan, as this EP is very reminiscent of his debut album ‘Flicker’.
Written by: Melanie Falkensteiner
Edited by: Mandy Huibregtsen
