Euan Blackman – Wildcard (2026)
Every now and then, I’m lucky enough to have something really special drop in my inbox, and that is exactly what has happened with the new EP Wildcard from Euan Blackman. I’d not heard anything from this British folk artist but I got Wildcard playing and honestly it has not stopped.
Opening with the raucous ‘better’, with all you want from the perfect pop song. At just under three minutes, it kicks the record off with a punch. It honestly has everything from foot-tapping verses along with a catchy chorus that will have you singing along by the end of the first listen. Offering the perfect contrast came the second song, ‘jane’.
This song offers a more country sensibility full of emotion and really highlights how Blackman as a lyricist can convey a narrative through his heartfelt writings. Full of love, loss and regret, ‘jane’ keeps the calibre of Blackman’s work high and already I feel he is one to watch. The first two tracks were truly just the warm-up, as track three of the five came next. ‘forgive’ is full of warmth and, as the title suggests, explores forgiveness and moving forward, all wrapped up in a chilled-out sound full of guitars reminiscent of the Midwest emo scene I love so much.
Reaching the penultimate track on the EP, impressed is an understatement, and that was not going to change, firing in with ‘girl’. A true party track, really showcasing Blackman’s vocals and the ability to be a fantastic raconteur, oozing a whole indie-sleaze vibe, showing a fun side and with all the heart that has been on offer throughout Wildcard. This record has been a melting pot of so many different musical directions, which is no mean feat, but Blackman has nailed it.
Reaching the crescendo of this honestly great EP is what has become my favourite track, not only the EP but all of Blackman’s work, and after listening to Wildcard, I had to go back and explore what came before. I encourage you to follow my lead because there are some absolute gems hiding there. Anyway, I digress, ‘mine’ grabbed me straight away from the harmonica opening track right the way to one final flutter. I love country music, and ‘mine’ had all the romanticism of all the great country songs I’ve heard, with its own folk DNA running through it. It was such a great way to end the EP, lyrically and musically rich with soul and meaning.
I’ll leave with the only negative I could find with Wildcard: it’s only 15 minutes. But I believe every cloud has a silver lining, and I’d rather look at the positive that I can listen to it four times in an hour!
Find out more about Euan Blackman on his Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, BlueSky, YouTube and Spotify.
