Nineteen year-old Sunshine Coast resident Ayla has just dropped an epic debut EP called When The World Ends. I’ve been listening to Ayla for a little over a year now and I can safely say this represents the best that the talented singer-songwriter has to offer at this stage in her career.
When The World Ends consists of 5 tracks. Two of these tracks, “Waiting” and “Wish I was”, were previously released as singles; both enjoying rotation on Triple j, seeing the young artist gain substantial traction across Australia. The title and opening track “When The World Ends” is my favourite off the EP. Channeling the likes of Lorde and Lana Del Ray, she uses her unique vocal style to hypnotise and mesmerise you with her melodic harmonies. Throughout the song, Ayla lightly incorporates Pop into her mainly Folk sound, which is refreshing. I can’t wait to hear these new songs live…
“Heaven” is my next favourite off the EP; it’s a clean and well-produced track. If we played you the song and didn’t tell you it was Ayla, you’d think it was a new song from Lana Del Ray. That’s how much depth and experience Ayla shows in her music. In ‘Heaven’ she perfectly incorporates a deeper folk sound then mixes that with a higher pitch harmony. With a perfectly subtle guitar in the background mixed with Ayla’s harmonies is a treat and gives the song depth and attracts listeners.
The well known “Waiting” is one of Ayla’s triumphs. Bursting with meaning, the lyrics in this song are about loneliness, while its upbeat sound gives hope of overcoming that feeling. The opening lyrics set the tone beautifully:
Never seen so many people
Never felt so alone
Never taken so long to realise
What I wanted all along
When The World Ends is a brilliant EP from the up-and-coming singer-songwriter, and serves as a solid debut release. It’s an easy and enjoyable listen, filled with heart, soul and just enough charm to make it stand out from the rest. It’s an Australian record you’ve got to listen to.
Review Score: 9.0 out of 10 
When The World Ends is available now.
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