Matilda Mann’s Debut ‘Roxwell’ Displays Her Determined Work Ethic
Feature Image Credits: whenthehornblows.com
At the end of February 2025, BRIT school alumni Matilda Mann released her debut studio album, ‘Roxwell.’ Before the album’s release, Mann announced an accompanying tour for the album. Seeing as some dates have already sold out, it's safe to say ‘Roxwell’ was received well by listeners. Mann has been putting the work in for years, independently releasing EPs from 2018, which caught the attention of more prominent artists like Beabadoobee and Arlo Parks, who invited Mann to open for their respective tours.
Mann has been consistently releasing music for seven years, demonstrating a work ethic deserving of all of her achievements. In 2022, she was a nominee for The Ivors Academy’s Rising Star Award, and 2023 saw a collaboration between Mann and Bombay Bicycle Club, while 2024 saw several songs from her discography appearing on the soundtrack for ‘Life is Strange: Double Exposure.’
The opening track on the album 'At The End Of The Day' is a slow, finger-plucked guitar ballad. It's a sensitive track, with thoughtful lyrics, expressing a sense of melancholy but ultimately acceptance at the loss of love, and it showcases her harmonies beautifully. Yet, I found it a bit of a slow start to the album, setting a mellow tone from the get-go. This wasn’t my cup of tea on the first listen, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be yours.
The second track ‘Say It Back,’ completely shifts the tone, from this mellowness to a somewhat angsty confident tone. The acceptance from before is gone, but so is the grief. The composition of this track displays some heavy pop-punk and riot-grrrl influences; snappy snare drums, angsty electric guitar riffs, a tambourine appearing on the chorus and a heavenly bridge. This feels like a good place to start the album.
‘Dazed & Confused’ has a low and breathy delivery perfectly accompanied by a funky bassline. This soft-rock anthem is sure to get your head bopping. Twinkly guitar riffs and dampened snare drums fill out the verses until we arrive at the ethereal harmonies of the chorus, and let’s not forget the key change on the last chorus. Mann has crafted the perfect bedroom-pop song.
In ‘Tell Me I’m Wrong’ we hear Mann pick up the acoustic guitar again, slowing things down and continuing the theme of romance we've listened to throughout the album thus far. A wistful, plucked guitar melody begins the track and carries on through to the end, accompanied by building strings. ‘See You Later’ is a faster pop track, yet very similar to 'Tell Me I'm Wrong'. The track features Mann’s signature harmonies, catchy, rounded guitar riffs, and a prominent indie-pop drumline to really hook you in.
The next song, ‘Worst Person Alive,’ transforms Mann’s certainty that a relationship isn’t right from the prior track, into guilt, and self-doubt but never regret. It completely flips the tempo, slowing everything down, and stripping the instrumentation right back. For the most part, the track stars Mann singing over a softly strummed guitar rhythm. Strings accent the song during the chorus, and apart from a gentle featuring of drums after the halfway part that’s pretty much it as far as this track’s composition goes.
'Just Because,’ follows with some fun (instrumentally, the lyrics are still a bit dire on the romance front) AKA it’s concerned with a relationship's ending. The faster-paced moments on the album are where Mann’s talents shine, inserting bop after bop after bop onto ‘Roxwell.’ The track opens with an ear-catching string arrangement that soon transforms into Mann’s familiarly low and sultry delivery.
Track eight, ‘Only So Far Away,’ is a stripped-back interlude at the midpoint of the album. A short but haunting song, signalling for listeners to strap in, as the album’s coming to a close.
‘Meet Cute,’ kicks off the second half of ‘Roxwell,’ with a bang. The star of this track is its melodic bassline, present from the opening notes, then creeping into crescendo during the chorus. Mann’s light and breathy delivery contrasts the oppressive power of the bassline, complimenting one another perfectly.
Track ten, ‘Everything I’m Not,’ brings us back to Mann’s acoustic side expressing disbelief at finding someone who fits with you so perfectly it can’t help but feel like fiction. Followed by ‘Common Sense,’ Mann keeps the tempo slower across these two tracks. ‘Common Sense,’ is the most interesting of the slower selection on this album, layering harmonies over a warm, thumping bass and cinematic strings.
‘Autopilot’ details a struggle I’m sure many listeners will relate to. Feeling like you’re just going through the motions rather than experiencing life, walking around zombified and vacant. The penultimate song on the album, ‘All That Was Said,’ continues the trend established on this album of vulnerable introspective lyrics accompanied by acoustic guitar. This song is another standout from the mellower tunes on the album.
Mann closes the album with the song ‘Girls,’ reflecting on her growth through life. It’s an interesting decision, closing the album with a track so focused on her beginning, highlighting how as we grow older we become ever more aware of the time passed that we’re never getting back. The strings on this song feel particularly poignant, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a tearjerker. Listen with tissues nearby, especially any twenty-three-year-old listeners with sisters, this track might hit close to home.
The album is a blend of slower, vulnerable tracks to indie-rock, bedroom-pop tunes. From folksy guitar to dancey pop-rock; Matilda Mann utilises her songwriting abilities impressively on this album, providing a bit of something for everyone. Although some of the acoustic songs did start to blend together, Mann drew me right back in with the second half of the album. Even on the songs that didn’t jump out at me, her production, vocals and guitar talents are undeniable. I’d highly recommend giving ‘Roxwell,’ a listen; even if it’s not for you at first, stick it out.
Mann may just prove you wrong.
