Feel Like You're Racing Against Time? Angie Colman Wonders the Same in Part 1 of Her Debut Album, 'How Do I Make My Life Slow Down?'
- Isabella Basile
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
WAM Award winner, RAC Arena Limelight Award recipient, and former triple j Unearthed Feature Artist, Angie Colman, Australian alt-pop singer/songwriter, writes about growth and change in Part 1 of her debut Album, How Do I Make My Life Slow Down? filled with soft ballads and full band moments, "capturing the beauty and chaos of growing up." Her lyrics and vocals make you think and feel, make sure you have tissues!
How Do I Make My Life Slow Down? Part 1
Songwriter, Production, Composition, Guitar, Keys, Synth, Drums: Angie Colman
Production, Mixing, Bass, Drums, Synth: Ryan K Brennan
Guitar: Sarah Curran
Bass: Kieran Barnes
Drums: Miles Gilbert
Keys: Georgina Crammond
Mastering: Andrew Edgson
In the words of Angie Colman: "This release has taken an interesting path. It was originally meant to be a six-track EP, but eventually became the first chapter of a ten-track full-length album. These six songs of How Do I Make My Life Slow Down? Part 1 were all written together, and they centre around the idea of growth, getting older, changing relationships, and changing yourself. Each song in Part 1 is kind of a lightbulb moment for me in realising what kind of person I am.
The title track, which also opens the album, kind of says everything upfront. It feels like the thesis statement - not just for Part 1, but for the whole record. I’m constantly overwhelmed by the fear of only having one life, and not knowing the right way to live it to come out the end of it feeling fulfilled. There’s so much I want to do, and I never feel like I have enough time. And it’s that kinda pull between excitement, sadness, urgency, and calm that’s really what the album tries to get across. Sonicall,y as well as so many of the tracks are so different from one another.
Part 1 leans into the softer, more vulnerable side of the record. They’re not really huge singles or anything; they’re quieter songs that encompass a period of change for me. They weren’t written to be big moments, but they make emotional sense as a body of work, which is why we’re releasing them altogether first, before the full album, because they deserve to be heard together,r I reckon. I really love them, and I hope other people do too.
The recording process was pretty tough for me, but super rewarding. I was lucky to have my angel of a producer, Ryan Brennan, for everything, of course,e but it ended up being a lot more independent than I expected. I spent so much time with these six songs on my own, which made me feel even more connected to them. I think that’s why they feel so honest. We also brought in a string section for these tracks, which was such a special experience, and it took the songs exactly where they always wanted to go sonically. It really softens a bit of the anger and hurt that’s in there between those fat juicy string parts."
LONG STORY SHORT: Part 1 of Angie Colman's debut album, How Do I Make My Life Slow Down? is filled with beautifully painful lyrics and vocals that make you feel. Throughout all six songs, we get to know Angie through her fears and relationships. One song that really stands out to me is “Documentary,” where you can just hear the rawness of Angie and her guitar, and it goes on that way for some time, but towards the end, it becomes distorted, like her memories are fading. After the first four songs, we get to hear the full band in “Out of the Headlights,” still with her soft yet powerful vocals. Blending pop, rock, and folk, Angie Colman will pull you into her world, but beware, you may not be able to escape!
Stream How Do I Make My Life Slow Down? Part 1 below!
