I approach debut releases with particular tenderness. A first encounter with an artist is always exciting: it is not yet known whether it will be a fleeting interest for a couple of listens or music that will stay with you for a long time. It was with exactly this feeling that I pressed play on “Under Water”, the debut EP by Danish singer-songwriter Penny Flows. A very personal, living story about how to gather yourself piece by piece after difficult life trials touched me even more when I read the singer’s reflections: “At one point, I stopped believing that I could sing. Now it is about trusting my own power, sharing my songs and standing on stage as myself – without masks and without the identities I once created to survive.” These words by Penny Flows are the key to the entire EP.
Photo by Alexandra Dewes
Six songs grew out of an experience on the edge of death, toxic relationships, sexualised violence, and a long journey back to oneself. But “Under Water” does not sound like a list of wounds; it sounds like a monologue by an artist who has decided to live again – and to sing about it without embarrassment. The music turned out to be genuine: live guitars, soft percussion and, of course, Penny’s voice, which leads from a calm, vulnerable intonation to a confident sound. The EP was recorded independently, together with the artist’s partner, who acted as producer and guitarist, and other musicians from the band.
It begins with a light step forward. I would call “On My Way” a song for the morning, when you leave the house without heavy thoughts. The acoustic guitar keeps an upbeat rhythm, the percussion plays along very softly, and the keys and strings join in later, like the sun over the road. Penny’s voice is tremulous, and you can hear that she is still being cautious, but she is already walking towards the light.
But in order to appreciate the light, one must also remember the shadow. The title track is one of the dense and cinematic moments on the EP. “Under Water” noticeably thickens the atmosphere. Thanks to echo effects, expansive guitar textures and entrancing synths, you feel an immersion underwater. The muffled vocals convey a state of struggling for control over one’s life, when it seems there is no strength left to resist. The story is real: while surfing in Costa Rica, Penny Flows found herself in a difficult situation underwater and thought she would not survive. But the song does not lock itself into this one story – it also carries the experience of sexualised violence that she went through more than ten years ago. As I listen, I catch myself involuntarily holding my breath along with her. And then the song lets go – the feeling of surfacing and letting go of the pain turns out to be perhaps the main experience of the entire EP.
Photo by Lenka Švidrnochová
Fortunately, after such an underwater experiment, there is a chance to breathe in. “It All Will Be Okay” is a song about accepting life’s difficulties, loss, and believing that the pain will fade with time. The vocals are close and calm, without sharp shifts, with a lingering quality in the phrases. The guitar solo at the end gently closes the song – like a promise you want to believe. In “Shine,” the story receives its natural continuation: floating guitar arpeggios, restrained drums and a moving violin pick up the narrative, carrying it into the realm of searching for inner light and meaning, when the future seems uncertain. The entire dramaturgy of the track rests on the vocals, which unfold gradually, gaining emotional strength closer to the chorus. By the finale, Penny Flows sounds as confident as possible – and that, perhaps, is her main goal.
A special place on the album belongs to the refined “Iris.” Acoustics with a focus on guitar strings, transparent keys and echoes in the distance sketch the image of an iris growing through cracks in stone. There is a slight tremor and vulnerability in the vocals; the pain becomes more distinct. The darkness and scars did not break her, but made her stronger. The EP closes with the cinematic “What Is True.” A pensive melody, soft bass and atmospheric layers surround the voice. Penny Flows’ voice is deep and attentive in every intonation. The phrases sound like a conscious step – leaving past grievances behind and trusting love again.
Photo by Stefan Kjær Olsen
Penny Flows has been underwater twice: literally and figuratively. “Under Water “ is not about diving in, but about returning to the surface. A debut you want to put on repeat. Cohesive arrangements, graceful sound and rich melodies. The EP follows a single concept and, because of that, can be listened to in one breath.
