Released on December 19, 2025 (the day I’m writing this!), the new EP from Eliot Thompson, titled At The Water’s Edge and boasting six tracks, has entered the world with a bang and a flash of light akin to that of a comet streaking across the sky, except this EP won’t disappear with the morning light. It and Eliot Thompson are here to stay, forever streaking across the sky of our playlists and minds. I was so excited for this EP to come out, as his recent single “Icy Roads” has recently become a big favorite of mine, and I’ve been eager to hear the new stuff. I’m so excited it’s out! “Icy Roads” and another single previously released, “Keep me around”, help set the expectation for the tone of the EP, and I am so glad that both singles are making an appearance, as I love them both. Eliot Thomspon and At The Water’s Edge are for fans of Keep For Cheap, Uncle Emmington, and Dom Fera – honestly, if you love indie at all, I think you’ll love At The Water’s Edge.
The first track is “Keep me around”, and it was first released in July of 2024. It’s one of my favorites from the EP and from Eliot Thomspon in general. It’s got such a fun energy to it with the gang vocals in the final chorus, the clap percussion, and the generally coming-of-age atmosphere. Clocking in at three minutes and thirty-five seconds, the track feels like an adventure all on its own, but the way that it opens the EP leads the whole release to feel like the soundtrack to a movie you’re nostalgic for from your teenage years. I think my favorite detail within “Keep me around” is the light and somewhat subtle piano that helps build out the instrumental without being overbearing, as piano can be, and it adds such nice tonality and atmosphere to the track.
The third track is another one of my favorites. “Sunshine (D.T)” opens with a slightly dark tone and atmosphere that works with the minor key to build energy as we get to the pre-chorus, and once we get to the chorus, Eliot Thomspon brings in some really gorgeous trumpet sounds that both add to the atmosphere and create more auditory drama and interest. When we get to the second verse, the instrumentals build upon what was used and established in the first verse, creating more drama with dramatic guitar strums, backup vocals, and some gorgeous bass lines. The drama and atmosphere of this track are just wonderfully done. My favorite part of the track is the bridge with its gorgeous melody that is slightly reminiscent of jazz, and with the barbershop quartet-esque backup vocals, this track is given such a classic air.
The fourth track, and an already-favorite of mine, is “Icy Roads”, which was released as a single prior to the release of At The Water’s Edge. I found this track and subsequently Eliot Thomspon just by scrolling through Instagram, and I was hooked immediately. “Icy Roads” has some of that subtle jazz air that “Sunshine (D.T)” has, and I am obsessed with it. Eliot Thompson’s vocals and his vocal runs in “Icy Roads” are truly impressive and add so much both to the track and to the EP. They add a lot to the atmosphere and give it such flair and drama. My favorite part of “Icy Roads” is easily the second chorus with the way that Eliot Thompson launches into it – we get a touch of vocal fry that helps build the drama in such a cool way. When the second chorus is contrasted with the bridge between it and the third chorus, it lets the third chorus have all of the attention that it deserves, and the way that the lyrics change up is so magnetic. Eliot Thompson is a great lyricist, and he shows it off so well in “Icy Roads”. We are treated to a final verse bridge between the third and final choruses, and when we get to the final chorus, we are then treated to some amazing and enchanting gang and backup vocals that add so much auditory interest and let the track go out with a bang.
The sixth and final track is titled “Roses & Chrysanthemums” and has such a beautiful atmosphere and air to it. That subtle and enchanting piano is brought back, and I was so delightfully surprised to hear a cello on the track as well (I need to learn how to play this!). As usual, the lyrics and the way that they’re sung are magnetic and genuinely so alluring that you just want to hear the song over and over again. I absolutely love this track and all of its drama and flair. It has some of the same vibes as Cody Fry, and I am always down for anything similar to Cody Fry.
Overall, the EP has the drama, flair, and atmosphere of some of my favorite releases of all time, reminding me of Dom Fera, Cody Fry, and other cinematic indie artists that never fail to capture my attention and live rent-free in my brain. I would be fully surprised if At The Water’s Edge didn’t ensnare quite a few more listeners and long-time fans for Eliot Thompson, and I am so excited and curious to see what he does after this EP. If this release is a measure of anything, I’m sure that he will go far.
Written by Valor
