POLLY MONEY STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT WITH DREAMY, QUEER INDIE POP TRIUMPH

EP REVIEW | POLLY MONEY – T-SHIRT NOTHING ELSE by Lucy Holden

Polly Money may have spent time in the background as a touring musician for The 1975, but on T-Shirt Nothing Else, she steps firmly into the spotlight. Across five tracks, she crafts an intimate indie-pop dreamscape—where synths shimmer, guitars smoulder, and heartbreak lingers like the last days of summer. It’s the kind of record that feels like that strange in-between season, when spring teases warmth but the rain still lingers. One moment, you’re basking in golden light, the next, you’re caught in a gust of cold air—uncertain, nostalgic, and yearning for something just out of reach.

The EP opener, ‘Milk & Honey’, arrived back in February, setting the tone with its hazy, lovestruck energy. A delicate swirl of pulsating beats and whispered confessions, it distills the rush of infatuation into just under three minutes. The accompanying video, a stripped-back, lo-fi affair directed by Rosie Carney, adds to its intimate charm. With over 50,000 Spotify streams already, it’s clear Polly is striking a chord.

Following close behind is ‘I’m Not Proud’, an alt-pop confessional that hits like late-night overthinking. There’s a push-and-pull to it—sugar-coated melodies masking weighty introspection. Polly’s lyrics feel like torn-out journal pages, full of self-reflection and bittersweet honesty.

Then comes ’30 Minutes’, the emotional gut-punch of the EP. “I’m a mess, but she stayed all the way through it,” Polly sings, her voice teetering between heartbreak and gratitude. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, where heartache seeps through every beat. Just when the emotion seems to settle, a searing guitar solo crashes in, pushing the feeling into overdrive.

The title track, ‘T-Shirt’, is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it interlude, but don’t underestimate its impact. At just 1 minute 40 seconds, it’s a masterclass in atmosphere—airy synths, hushed vocals, and a sense of nostalgia so potent you can almost feel the summer heat on your skin. It’s fleeting, much like the moments Polly captures so well throughout the EP.

Closing the record is ‘Anything’, the first taste of this project released back in July—Polly’s first solo release since 2022. The track leans into lush, dreamy production while still packing an emotional punch. Since its release, it’s been remixed by Ross MacDonald (yes, The 1975’s own) and Cool Online, dipping into an atmospheric indie-pop-meets-house-music space. But even without the remix, the original track feels like a huge moment, cementing T-Shirt Nothing Else as a fully realised world—poignant, evocative, and quietly devastating in its honesty.

What makes T-Shirt Nothing Else so compelling is its ability to feel both weightless and deeply affecting. It glows with soft, golden-hour synths but isn’t afraid to dig into the messy, complicated emotions beneath the surface. Polly Money proves herself to be not just a promising indie talent but a vital new voice in queer storytelling—one who knows exactly how to make you feel. With this EP, she doesn’t just invite you into her world—she completely immerses you in it.

Pre-Save T-Shirt Nothing Else out 20th March via CoolOnline