EP Review: “A Problematic Way of Thinking” - Isabel Wood
Rising popstar Isabel Wood has released her highly-anticipated debut EP, A Problematic Way of Thinking. The project has already amassed over half a million plays on Spotify, most of which are from her beloved third track, Boy.
We spoke to Isabel about her latest release, so you can read more about its behind-the-scenes in her Artist Interview with VoiceNoted.
A Problematic Way of Thinking officially joined streaming services on May 3rd, and you can check out her Instagram post about it below:
All 6 tracks were produced by fellow songwriter Riley Smith, but Isabel Wood impressively wrote the entire EP by herself.
So, if you haven’t already, listen to the A Problematic Way of Thinking on Spotify before you read on…
EP Review
The first track of the EP is called Sidestep. Isabel wrote in her 22nd April Instagram Post that Sidestep is also the oldest song on the EP: “I wrote it about 2 years and and never planned to do anything with it but just kept coming back to it whenever I sat down at my piano.”
She explained the track in her Instagram Post, saying ”It’s about how your mind can play tricks on you and block out all the bad memories so only the good ones remain.”
It opens with a twinkling melody like that of a music box, with Isabel singing: “Memory says that you treated me right but I know better than this / I’ve blocked out all of our ugliest fights, now all that’s left is a kiss.”
Something that marks Isabel Wood as an artist to watch is her imagery-laden songwriting. In Sidestep, she describes being “capsized on the edge of seasick, guess you thought that I’d be unaffected” and how “I bought a doll and some pins / And I hope you feel it when I stick the needle in.”
Throughout the song, she playfully explores all the ways she could have avoided the pain her ex caused, whilst wishing to ‘get him back’ for what he did. It plays out like a kind of angry lullaby, and we loved it.
The chorus summarises the song best: “Yeah you made me laugh but mostly cry, what took me so long to get this? / Wish I had have left you right before I met you and maybe we could’ve, we could’ve sidestepped this.”
End of The World is the 2nd track on the EP. In another Instagram Post, Isabel explained: “I wrote this song about sinking into the worst version of yourself. When something doesn’t go the way you wanted and it literally feels like the world is ending.”
The bridge is the best part of the track, with Isabel singing how “you turned me into a weapon, injected me with your venom.” The subject of the song is undeniably sad, but you can’t help singing along to the catchy melodies.
In the chorus, she describes how “I’ll be over here while you move on”, picturing a life post-breakup “like a perfect love song / You’ll be getting everything you want and I’ll be over here in the corner.”
This is one of her best tracks, and we love how full circle it becomes: “Now I’m staring at the end of the world with a heart in my hand.” Listening through headphones doesn’t do it justice - you need to blast it through the speakers of your car.
Boy is the most popular track on the EP, with over 463,000 plays on Spotify. It was released as a single on June 9th 2023, and after listening, you can tell why.
With Boy, Isabel writes a pop song of feminine revenge, telling listeners about a boy who mistreated her and moved onto someone else, but “One day you’ll wake up / And be bored with her.”
The chorus is insanely catchy, with Isabel singing “Oh boy, don’t you get deja vu / Pulling the same shit again and again.” In the bridge, she fantasises of comeuppance: “I found all of your exes / We’re gonna make you regret this.”
Overall, Boy is a great track and one that almost makes getting your heart broken worthwhile, because at least then you get to scream along.
Wish I Knew is the 4th song on the EP, and our favourite here at VoiceNoted. Isabel opens the pop tune with the line: ”I had a realisation yesterday when you called me out of the blue / That I just wasted all this time trying to get over you.”
She describes her “problematic way of thinking slowly shrinking into dust” now that she has moved on from being mistreated by someone.
As with most of Isabel’s songs, the chorus is the best part. She sings: “Looking back now it’s plain to see / I loved you more than you loved me / You were the song I sung in secret / I was someone just for the weekend.”
In her Instagram Post, Isabel called it “cheesy pop at its finest”, but that’s our favourite genre here at VoiceNoted! Wish I Knew is a fun, empowering anthem about learning from hindsight and accepting better for yourself. If you haven’t already added it to your summer playlists, you definitely should!
Following the house that was burned to the ground in Wish I Knew, the 5th song Deep End delves into its aftermath, and how it feels to be left behind in the ash.
The song opens with a diary-like confession: “I still think about you when the lights go out at night / Pouring salt in old wounds / Can we try to make this right?”
Isabel sings “Do you know I regret leaving?”, and asks in the chorus “Is there nothing we can do to mend this?” Ultimately, the relationship she once had can’t come back, and “Loving you has thrown me off the deep end.”
We noticed that the narrative of the EP loosely follows the 5 stages of grief: denial / anger / bargaining / depression / acceptance. Deep End is therefore the ‘depression’ stage, a song about reeling after a breakup. We’re big fans of sad ballads at VoiceNoted, so would recommend it to anyone who needs a good cry.
Risky revives the energy of the EP, closing the project with an upbeat track and addictive bassline. Returning to the red flags of the previous song, we learn that the singer “saw it coming, read the signs”. Though, she’s convinced to come back and “work it out skin to skin” because “we’re not done yet.”
Our favourite part is the lyrics of the second verse: “Double vision, going blind / Got me wishing we could turn back time / For a moment, I’m revived / Breathe me in make me feel alive.”
It’s certainly a risky song to listen to right after Deep End, but the playfulness of it is conveyed so well and ends the EP on an exciting twist. In the bridge, Isabel sings: “We can make it work but it’s gonna hurt / Is that a risk not worth the burn?”, and you’ll have to listen to find out!
Isabel Wood’s writing style is best described as Maisie Peters meets Sabrina Carpenter, but her music is refreshing in an entirely new way. And A Problematic Way of Thinking is a strong, energetic, and emotional debut EP that we’ll be playing on repeat for the foreseeable.
If you enjoyed the EP as much as we did, you can find the rest of Isabel’s music on Spotify:
And if you’d like to learn more about Isabel Wood’s work, check out her Artist Interview with VoiceNoted!
