Katie Malco - Tearing Ventricles

Music that makes us feel sad, or expresses a sad emotion is often used as an easy trick, because it creates an emotional response in the listener very quickly, but Katie Malco isn’t using any cheap tricks on us here.  This EP is a true revelation of feeling, “leave the past where it belongs” she asks in an absolutely angelic, powerful, yet unnervingly delicate voice, backed by simple piano in a manner that Perfume Genius would be proud of.

Put simply, this EP transports you to a quiet space where all that matters is the words being sung, and the notes being played. It’s utterly captivating.
Tearing Ventricles is still going to be a jaw-dropping, heart-wrenchingly beautiful work if you buy it and only listen to it through your laptop speakers, or on the bus, or wherever. But on vinyl, or at least through ‘good’ (whatever that means) speakers, something seems to happen to an already magical EP - it’s worth noting that It is technically only available on vinyl, although that comes with a download code as well as a postcard with said code on it to send to a friend (another brilliant idea from our favourites Alcopop! Records).
It’s rare that I finish a review simply by saying “just buy it” because it’s kind of my job to tell you why you should do that, and it’s even rarer to come across a work that I think will appeal to almost everyone. But Katie Malco clearly has a rare, charismatic talent and has achieved in only 2 EPs what many never do in a career - to create something real and beautiful and wonderful.