Libby Tidley tells TenEighty the stories behind tracks from Bitter Sweet.
Set to be released on 11 September, Libby’s third studio EP will feature six tracks, including her latest single Coffee and Toothpaste.
So did you know Bitter Sweet EP is available for preorder at £2.49 for a limited time? Help us chart it on September 11th??? 😃😃😃 https://t.co/jSUR9mRoOb
— Libby's Bitter Sweet (@LibbyLumos) August 9, 2017
Reaction to the video for the track, Libby tells TenEighty, has been “overwhelmingly positive”. Directed by Zannah Perrins, the video shows a humorous depiction of a couple slowly growing apart. “Everyone I’ve spoken to about it loved it,” Libby continues. “I’ve had a lot of comments about how it’s lighthearted and humorous which is absolutely lovely.”
She adds, “The song is about being in a relationship with someone for so long that both parties have evolved into different people and are no longer compatible.”
Originally written over two years ago, it started out as a love song called Toothpaste and Coffee, but it took on a more morose meaning after Libby shared it with a friend. “[Between] their response of ‘toothpaste and coffee isn’t a great combination’, and the downward spiral of the relationship it’s based on, the now released version was born,” she explains.
The EP features five other self-written songs. Among them is Blue Haired Boy, which Libby discloses is her favourite. “It holds a lot of meaning to me. The song is about a person stuck in a situation where they’ve been struggling to be happy but they’ve found one person that has helped them feel better, and that whilst they understand that they might not be important to that one person, they’re grateful for all that they’ve done for them.”
ALSO GO PRE-ORDER @LibbyLumos NEW EP #BitterSweetEP https://t.co/V61FgSNA9r (its on offer atm on @iTunes 😉💿🤘)
— WNJCR (@wnjcr) August 10, 2017
Libby describes her sound as “bittersweet”, referring to the contrasting and conflicting elements in her music. “I’ve struggled for a long time to think of a decent word for it, but once I actually pulled it all apart and looked at the different aspects, it all sort of fell together. My melodies sound quite sweet, as does my voice most of the time, but my lyrics can be very bitter or sad.”
Compared to her previous EPs Cloudy Skies and Here I Am, Libby reveals that “there’s a lot more happening in this EP!” Produced by Libby and Jake Aspey – the owner of her record label, We’re Not Just Cats Records – Bitter Sweet features a fuller sound than that of her previous releases. “This EP features full band works on a couple of tracks, harmonies, overlapping melodies, and I even helped produce a few parts! All of the songs sound so much fuller now.”
The new EP Bitter Sweet comes out on 11 September, and at the time of writing can be preordered at the limited-time price of £2.99 on iTunes. Physical versions and Bitter Sweet merchandise can be found here.
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