Cleo Handler’s compare & contrast digs through your journal from a heartbreak summer, laughing and wincing in equal measure—except it’s set to jangly guitars, jittery percussion, and vocals that hit like a knowing smirk. This album is brutally honest but never bitter, angsty but never joyless—just one big beautifully messy reflection on dating, solitude, and the whiplash-inducing in-between.
It opens with the title track, “compare & contrast,” and you immediately feel the pull. The percussion twitches like nerves at a first date, while the electric guitar glimmers in like a mellow high. Cleo’s voice is smooth, steady, and hypnotic. There’s this dazed, looped vibe, like she’s caught in a cycle she knows she should break, but… maybe one more spin?
Then there’s “summer,” which is basically a montage of messy beach crushes and daydreams set to a melody that begs for a shout-sung chorus. It’s flirty, dorky, and kind of unhinged—in the best way. The angst is there, but it’s sugar-coated with humor and catchy hooks.
“think about you” kicks it up—more rhythm, harder drums, and that floaty, airy delivery from Cleo that feels like thinking too much in the shower. It’s the sound of knowing better but still spiraling a little, and her refrain about needing to “get it together” hits like a pep talk mid-meltdown.
And finally, “happy baby” feels like warm skin, soft light, and slow mornings with your lover. The layered harmonies and percussive heartbeat of the track wrap you in this unexpectedly soothing blanket of intimacy—pure serotonin.
All in all, compare & contrast is sharp, playful, and emotionally intelligent indie-pop for the overthinkers, the romantics, and the ones still figuring it all out.
STAY IN TOUCH:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
Review by: Naomi Joan