But where you might expect such a stream to take you on an unexpected adventure now and again, the EP rather safely doesn’t uncover any surprises, sonically or lyrically, from her previous album Paint My Bedroom Black. However, it is still Humberstone’s signature mellow rainy-day music; a collection of heartbreak and tenderness.
The opening track and single “Dive” starts as a gentle acoustic but then builds into itself with fun melodic flourishes in the chorus. It’s the perfect soundtrack to the cautious beginning of a relationship after getting burnt from a previous one. It’s tightly produced like the rest of the EP and Humberstone’s feathery vocals, which sound strikingly similar to a Billie Eilish of sorts, are amplified here. There’s even a gregarious choice of sampling thrown in from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
The title track, “Work In Progress” has a sweet heartbeat rhythm running throughout and the acoustic guitar provides an extremely melancholic, but almost lethargic, air. It fails to dazzle as a follow-on from “Dive” but “Down Swinging” brings it back with its gentle 80s-influenced electrobeat as Humberstone sings, “There’s a black balloon I carry / Been a long way from okay / But I’m goin’ down swinging.” However, just as this song is going along its bouncy merry way, there is the inexplicable introduction of a saxophone in the third part of this track, which sadly sounds more gaudy than exciting.
There is a real bittersweet to Humberstone’s voice when it’s brought out in a more intimate setting as in “Easy Tiger.” The downbeat track channels Bon Iver’s spirit while a candid conversation takes place between Humberstone and herself, “Settle down now, easy tiger / It’ll all be over soon / Mm, put your feet up on the dashboard / And we’ll ride this out together.” It’s simple and honest songwriting but like the rest of her lyricism, it risks playing into cliche at times.
Work in Progress sounds like Side B of Paint My Bedroom Black – there’s a slight dreariness mixed with cloying romanticism which can grate. But it’s delicate and lovely when the arrangements are stripped back, and more acoustic-focussed. When there’s enough room for the vulnerability in her songwriting and her soft gossamer vocals to take centre stage, that’s when Humberstone truly shines.
