ELIZA NIEMI — Progress Bakery

Eliza Niemi – Progress Bakery opens the Tin Angel 12-inch vinyl TAR118 with a concept that folds the tactile art of kneading dough into indie-pop songcraft. The record, pressed on black vinyl, presents a suite of twelve songs that balance gentle curiosity with moments of lyrical tension, inviting listeners to linger over each melodic bite. Tin Angel’s catalogue remains a mystery of its own, but within this release the artist’s second solo album finds a home among the label’s eclectic output. The collaboration of a small ensemble of guest musicians, recorded and mixed by Louie Short alongside Jeremy Ray and Lukas Cheung, adds a subtle richness that feels both intimate and expansive. Side A begins with “Do U FM”, a rising melody that asks a question before settling into a warm, guitar-tinged groove. The track’s structure feels like the first knead of dough—firm enough to hold shape yet pliable enough to invite further development. It leads directly into “Novelist Sad Face”, an acapella vignette that strips the arrangement to voice alone, highlighting the album’s recurring theme of questioning and restraint. The third cut, “Green Box”, expands the palette with layered textures, while “Dusty” retains a breezy, almost translucent feel that mirrors the lightness of flour dust in a kitchen. “The Linda Song” follows with a melodic contour that feels like a gentle roll, and the side closes on “DM BF”, a track that balances rhythmic pulse with a lyrical sense of anticipation, leaving the listener poised for the flip side. Side B opens with “I TrieD”, a piece that feels like a careful stretch of the dough—tense at the start, then easing into a smoother flow. “Melodies Like Mark” continues the exploration, offering a melodic line that glides like a stone across water, while “Wildcat” injects a subtle edge, its tension briefly breaking the surface before receding. “How U Remind Me” returns to a reflective mood, its phrasing echoing the earlier questions that thread through the album. “Pocky” ends its side with a concise, questioning lyric that feels like the final knead before the loaf rests, its brevity underscoring the album’s preoccupation with unanswered queries. The remaining tracks—“Bon Tempiii”, “PT Basement”, “Alberqurque II”, and “Mary’s”—drift in and out of focus, each offering a distinct vignette that together form a mosaic of fleeting thoughts and dream-like reveries, much like the way dough rises and settles in the heat. Within Eliza Niemi’s brief solo discography, Progress Bakery stands out for its willingness to let juxtaposition and tension serve as structural proof points rather than resolve them. The record’s lyrical preoccupations—questions about feeling, identity, and mundane moments—are matched by its sonic choices, which oscillate between tightly woven arrangements and airy, almost ambient interludes. The presence of collaborators such as Jeremy Ray, Evan Cartwright, and Steven McPhail adds subtle instrumental colors that enrich the texture without overwhelming the core songwriting. For DJs, the record offers a range of entry points. The opening “Do U FM” and “I TrieD” provide steady tempos suitable for warm-up sets, while “Green Box” and “Wildcat” deliver enough rhythmic nuance for deeper, more experimental moments. The acapella “Novelist Sad Face” and the brief “Pocky” can be used as vocal inserts or transitional moments in a set, allowing a DJ to weave the album’s questioning spirit into a broader narrative. Collectors will appreciate the cohesive sequencing and the tactile experience of the black-vinyl pressing, which complements the album’s thematic focus on texture and touch. Progress Bakery arrives as a 12-inch black vinyl, housing twelve tracks that together form a nuanced exploration of everyday rituals turned musical inquiry. Eliza Niemi’s second solo effort, catalogued as TAR118 on Tin Angel, delivers a thoughtful blend of indie-pop sensibility and lyrical curiosity, rendered through a collaborative soundscape that rewards repeated listening. Tracklist: A1. Eliza Niemi – Do U FM A2. Eliza Niemi – Novelist Sad Face A3. Eliza Niemi – Green Box A4. Eliza Niemi – Dusty A5. Eliza Niemi – The Linda Song A6. Eliza Niemi – DM BF B1. Eliza Niemi – I TrieD B2. Eliza Niemi – Melodies Like Mark B3. Eliza Niemi – Wildcat B4. Eliza Niemi – How U Remind Me B5. Eliza Niemi – Pocky B6. Eliza Niemi – Bon Tempiii B7. Eliza Niemi – PT Basement B8. Eliza Niemi – Alberqurque II B9. Eliza Niemi – Mary's