EP Review: NTHN - Skylight (EP)

The past year’s events have inspired some amazing music, but rarely do we hear someone bare their soul as starkly as NTHN does. 

This six-track EP throws in some surprises. The first song, ‘Intro (Trapped)’ begins with a beautiful introductory piano melody. It runs for 73 seconds and is a gorgeous piece of music. NTHN then launches into the second track, barely pausing in between the two. It’s a great technique giving the EP real flow. The second offering, titled simply ‘Trapped’, is a follow-on from the mellow introduction, and NTHN conveys the sense of his imprisonment through the lyrics: “I’m trying not to let it all get to me but I feel trapped inside these walls”. 

Interestingly, the opening track was the last one to be written, something he achieved with the help of friend and producer, Fletcher James.  On his Twitter feed, the artist describes the EP as “basically a stream of consciousness from the start of it all until now.”

You can assume “it all” refers to the pandemic, but anyone who has struggled with their mental health would read Skylight as an allegory of a life-long battle to keep their head above ground. 

‘Hometowns’ is by far the most memorable track on the EP, one that I found was playing in my head long after I’d listened. The plural of ‘Hometowns’ is interesting and a clear hark to the pre-lockdown days where unrestricted travel was the norm and a person could have more than one ‘hometown’. 

The name Skylight refers to the skylight window NTHN would look through when writing the songs in his home studio. This EP is clearly a reflection of struggles to come to terms with a long and difficult lockdown. He has written online that he wrote this song as a response to being ‘stuck in one place for a year’ - something which everyone can relate to.

Skylight comes hot on the heels of Letting Go, the three track EP also released in 2021 by NTHN. He is clearly gaining momentum and is not afraid to let us in to his consciousness and speak out about his challenges through his lyrics.

Words: Bethany Lodge