Katie Laffan – Dead As Disco EP – Review

At the tender age of 17, Dubliner Katie Laffan won the Hot Press ‘Big Break’ competition, gracing the cover of the prestigious magazine in the process. Two years on, she self-releases her debut EP Dead As Disco. Produced in her bedroom with a ‘a laptop and a €99 euro mic’, it’s a bold statement of Katie’s independence, reflected in the three songs on offer.

A playful giggle introduces ‘I Don’t Mind’, an uptempo number in the vein of Chic, Laffan’s sassy vocals riding over a melody underpinned by handclaps, brass and guitar. ‘Not At All’ sounds similar to Fergie’s solo work, urban soul etched with modern studio effects. Strongest track on the EP is ‘Ego’, a single finger salute to an ex boyfriend which is built on a groove that slunks along as she channels Lily Allen through a hip-hop beat.