Zander serves up a no-skips standout on his debut EP 'No Silver'

Zander has stepped fully into his 'No Silver' era, one that is experimental, owning a confidence in his creation that shows the feeling of an artist fully finding his feet. This EP plays like a whistle-stop tour through genre and stylistic exploration, each track opening a fresh door into his creative world. What holds it all together is Zander’s instinct for melody, complete with self aware, youthful charm. It is a project that not only captures where he is right now but also serves as a brilliant introduction for anyone discovering him for the first time.

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The EP opens with 'New Woman', an upbeat, technicolour burst of energy. It is indie pop at its most vibrant, drenched in psychedelic-tinted, retro-leaning flair, complete with sparkling guitar riffs and Zander’s newly sharpened vocal presence. The track makes a punchy entrance, bright and built for big sing-along moments. Beneath the dreamy swirl of instrumentation sits a driving urgency, the sound of someone confidently claiming their space. It demands itself as a statement opener and a perfect tone-setter for 'No Silver', pushing boundaries at every twist and turn, and of course, is irresistibly catchy. Zander knows how to make an intoxicating track!

Photos of Zander via Lily Doidge

'Dance Around My Bedroom' is another track that captures Zander’s youthful spirit at full throttle. It carries a rising sense of anticipation that builds in your chest just before a euphoric chorus hits. It feels like pure wind in your hair energy, the soundtrack to a night that feels like absolutely anything could happen. The punchy, explosive chorus delivers full indie-pop adrenaline, while the switch-up in the bridge adds a shot of sincerity that makes the final chant-along chorus land even harder. The whole track radiates retro iPod-advertisement energy in the best, most nostalgic way possible. What is most striking is how carefree the outcome feels, even though you can sense the intention and craft in every beat.

'Lost Cause' shifts the gears and lets the emotional weight seep in. While the earlier tracks play with musicality and momentum, this one draws the focus to Zander’s lyricism, touching on searching and self-reflection, tinted with a heaviness that feels honest. He sings 'Lost my way in this tragic place,' and 'darling I know it's heavy drinking my glass half empty / but well I'm waiting to change', grounding the track in vulnerability. He leans into that very human urge to externalise responsibility, searching for something to blame these feelings on in the hope it will make the mess of emotion feel a little clearer, a little easier to untangle what he finds himself struggling through. Yet even with that ache running through every line, the track pulses with the catharsis of release, a surprising movement of lightness through the darkness. It is the duality wound within the song that makes it compelling, the feeling of trying to outrun your thoughts with movement, rhythm, and a beat just quick enough to keep you afloat despite the pain and feelings of being lost in life that can creep in when you stop for a moment of respite.

By the end of 'No Silver', that all-encompassing energy on the surface has peeled back entirely to reveal a more nuanced glimpse into Zander's artistic versatility. 'Madeline' is the project's emotional exhale, outpouring his indie-pop sensibilities in something far more stripped back. It carries the lingering thought of what could have been, a sentiment brimming with nostalgia and immediacy. It feels intimate enough to be consumed like a diary entry yet still festival friendly, as though made for golden-hour moments when everything feels a little softer, a little truer. Zander is one of those artists whose sound is so instantly enthralling that it’s only when you stop and sit with the lyrics like 'you had your future but now it's all lost to the past' and 'you sold it all for some fun in a movie that's already about you', that you fully appreciate his knack for shaping a vivid, emotional narrative. Pair this with 'Not My Love', a personal favourite of the project, this becomes something more, something full of heart. This side of the EP stands out for good reason for those who enjoy tracks that feel totally three dimensional. The two tracks back-to-back show how compelling Zander can be when he leans into this openness, both musically and emotionally, revealing an artist who writes with a depth that feels well beyond his years.

'No Silver' plays with colour, movement, and mood without ever losing its cohesion, offering a portrait of an artist in transition. The outcome of this project is an experiment in sound that feels like the early outline of something much bigger. Zander is confidently stepping into his own identity within the music scene, and for fans of Djo or The Vaccines, he’s absolutely an artist to keep an eye out for in the future.