MANE - “Hi Lo”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…Florence & the Machine, MARINA, LP

MANE’s “Hi Lo” is a pitch-perfect soft rock track, dramatically melodic but performed with a low-key comfortability. The Australian artist’s voice immediately stands out, a lower-toned timbre naturally rich both in big-pop choruses and quiet, balancing moments. Her influences seem to range from minimal indie folk to new-wave rock to dance-pop, but rather than straight genre hopping, MANE mixes these sounds within tracks while avoiding ever sounding too busy. Rather, MANE’s 2020 debut EP Coping Mechanism and surrounding tracks are notably smooth and cleanly produced, yet still will connect more to indie-minded ears than those of overproduced radio tracks. (Kevin McStravick)