PSWEATPANTS CHANNELS HUMBLE HONESTY IN “LIFE WAS SHIT, IT’S BETTER NOW”
EP REVIEW | PSWEATPANTS – LIFE WAS SHIT, IT’S BETTER NOW by Morgan Hermiston
Credit to Craig McIntosh for EP Cover Photo
The Glasgow music scene is one rich with a range of talents across a whole host of genres and styles. From punk to rap, the city has it all, and Psweatpants does it all. It’s too easy for a lot of artists to fall into the trap where they make one kind of music, but Psweatpants is someone who isn’t afraid to overlap genres to create his own mark. “LIFE WAS SHIT, IT’S BETTER NOW” is a collection of tracks that further proves this.
With six tracks in the EP, including three well received singles, Psweatpants has spent the last year or so channeling a sense of humble honesty along with striking sentimentality into songs a huge audience will love. He said the tunes were, “made during a time where I felt a lot of self-doubt“. Being based in Glasgow, he pays homage to the city with the artwork being shot there by Craig McIntosh. A fellow Scottish artist, Scott Bathgate, produced the EP, with Axor mixing and mastering it, a collaborative approach proving successful in the combination of different styles.
First two tracks, ‘HuH‘ and ‘ClapItUp‘, are short, but these lesser durations are packed with massive choruses and intricate incorporations. Both would sound immense live, and really amp up a crowd, as I’m sure they already have. ‘HuH‘ especially is a heavy fusion of electronic music with rap, giving Psweatpants a distinctive edge to further his ever-growing popularity.
The likes of ‘RedRum‘ and ‘110sOn‘ give credibility to a conclusion that live environments were careful considerations throughout the EP’s creation. ‘RedRum‘ is filled with bass that is bound to shake any room its played in, with repeated lyrics that listeners will be reciting in no time at all. ‘110sOn‘, like ‘HuH‘ methodically merges rock, punk and rap, with guitar work being a key feature. It’s definitely a standout song, one I’ve had on repeat since I first listened.
Penultimate track, ‘ChAnge‘ fully hones in on the honesty emphasised through the EP’s title. It’s about accepting that things aren’t the way you want them to be, and “trying to change“. Psweatpants talks about looking for ways out of specific situations, “in the dark and I’m tryna see the light“. The final tune, ‘LifeWasShit‘ features lolabored who vibrantly vocalises the chorus. This final song delves into a similar discussion to the previous one, highlighting all the incredible, yet hard to believe, things that have happened, turning life around for the better.
If this is the first you’ve heard about Psweatpants, then he’s absolutely a talent you should get to know. This release follows a feature on VLURE‘s most recent album, specifically the leading track ‘Something Real‘, which was added to the EAFC26 soundtrack. If you’re a fan of Bob Vylan, AJ Tracey, Skepta or anyone similar, “LIFE WAS SHIT, IT’S BETTER NOW” is the EP for you.
You can catch Psweatpants, and many other Scottish talents, on Saturday 1st November at FHEADAIN, presented by SMC. It’s an all-day festival in Glasgow at Stereo and Old Hairdessers. You can find remaining tickets here.
