Girl In The Year Above is the band bringing back seaside indie-folk, hailing from Cornwall and Ireland; folk runs through their veins. Their passion shows in the fact that ‘Wet Paint’ is only their fourth song released, yet they have accumulated over 90k Instagram followers and currently have 36.3k monthly listeners on Spotify, which speaks for itself. 

Their highly anticipated song, inspired by a ‘Wet Paint’ sign, turns something mundane into a beautifully melancholic tune. Relating the human body to a wet paint sign saying “Don’t Touch” is something only this band could do with such elegance. 

Their calming indie-folk sound is becoming a signature of the band: With guitar riffs that feel like they’re floating and vocals with such power over listeners' emotions. Their control shifts from energetic bursts of guitar and drums to the gorgeous isolation of the piano, showing where the tone shifts from self-pity to self-determination (“But these walls that I’ve built / They’re for me / Not for you”). 

The lyrics throughout solidify what the sound is showing fans: this is a song about heartbreak, and the feeling of wanting to hide yourself away so you never get hurt again, but ultimately making reckless choices - “So I walk under the ladder / I know it brings bad luck / And a black cat crosses my path / And I don’t give a f*ck / I’ll smash a thousand mirrors / To lose who’s looking back” - it’s pulling away from everyone, including yourself.

Further, “Only touch me when it feels like love / Wanna be touched how I would touch” is poetic: the sense of setting boundaries at a time when people trust a stranger's opinions over their own. It is relatable and honest.

They describe relearning who you are and what you want after heartbreak or grief: “These layers coat my body / They keep me safe inside / I am wet paint / Don’t touch”. The sense of wrapping yourself up in cotton wool matches the flow of the music with the emotive ups and downs heard through the intricacies of their instruments. 

To accompany the song, they have also created a gorgeous music video in which their creativity shines; the band shows on their Instagram the use of temporary tattoos to depict singer Jennifer Ball singing, as well as Ball committing to a tattoo for the single’s cover art. In the age of AI, it is a stroke of genius.

Being the first song released since signing with Transgressive Records, it's exciting to see what they are going to do in the future and with their upcoming tour. 

Francesca Wood

@frxnedits / @frxnwood

Image: ‘Wet Paint’ Official Single Cover

If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider buying us a coffee. The money from this pot goes towards the ever-increasing yearly costs of running and hosting the site, and our “Writer Of The Month” cash prize.