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Memory rarely lives in black and white. It’s a warm, tangled collage of chaos, nostalgia and growth. But within those emotions lies a clarity that shapes how we show up to the world around us, to our relationships and ultimately to ourselves. 

On First Times, GUS captures the fleeting, bittersweet nature of self-discovery through themes of love, change and the pains of growing up. Delivered with a visceral intensity that feels ripped right from the moments themselves, the project’s intimate storytelling is a collective of six tracks, each recounting a first love, its inevitable ending and what comes next.

“Blood” arrives as a striking introduction to the six-track project, wasting no time slicing through a delicate piano with razor sharp lyricism. “Some could say we were doomed right from the start.” Immediately pulling listeners into the thick of a fractured relationship, the track subverts the typical heartbreak narrative. Rather than sinking into bitter regret, “Blood” offers a romanticized look back in hindsight, fiercely protecting the memory with the realization that mistakes are worth making: “I can’t take any of it back // And if I could I wouldn’t.” Introducing the larger theme of growth, “Blood” is a bittersweet celebration of a love that didn’t survive the distance. However, rather than treating the relationship not as a waste of time, it is recognized as a vital piece of the journey.

“Vivian” stands as the definitive heart of the EP. As GUS recently shared on Instagram, the track is a strikingly vulnerable dissection of trying to maintain a relationship whilst grappling with his sexuality. What begins as a fragile, stripped back ballad transforms into a confessional post-mortem of a reality forced into existence, and refuses to shy away from the discomfort of these growing realizations: “And my pride was badly injured, when I couldn’t get it up.” The chorus transforms from a quiet apology into a soaring, desperate plea. “Oh Vivian // You don’t have to take this anymore.” As the track progresses, GUS’s delivery grows increasingly heartwrenching as the track builds in its urgency. The result transforms the track completely, capturing the essence of the EP and friction of growing older and choosing truth over comfort. 

First Times serves as an exciting snapshot of GUS’s evolving artistry, artfully capturing the chaotic, necessary growth that comes with looking beyond oneself. Whatever comes next, we’re for certain that GUS is just getting started. 

Listen to First Times on Spotify: