Looking for a pop record with equal parts whimsy, ruminations on love, religion, growth and a good dose of harpsichord? Then get ready for Hemlocke Springs’s “the apple tree under the sea,” a daring, unforgettable ride from one of pop’s rising stars.

I found Springs (real name Isimeme “Naomi” Udu) through her 2022 song “Girlfriend,” a wickedly catchy indie-pop cut that went viral online and launched her to a music career (she had been going to school for medicine while writing songs). Then, she had an incredible 2023 EP, “Going…Going…Gone!” that illustrated her personality and unique approach to indie pop songwriting.

She’s become something of an “artist’s artist” in the past couple of months leading up to this album, getting co-signs from Doja Cat, Chappell Roan, and Doechii. In the almost three years since, her fans (famous or not) have been waiting to see if her debut album would continue on this promise. Springs’s debut record delivers her intense energy, ear for great synthpop melodies and songwriting, and powerful vocal talent into one of the best pop records of 2026.

The record opens with “the red apple,” a dramatic introduction with a string section. This is the first of multiple references to a red apple, a theme that comes up both in the cover and in the lyrics. It’s a connection to the theme of apples as sin or temptation. There’s a religious theme to the lyrics and dramatic nature of the string instrumental, setting the tone and giving us insight into Springs’s religious upbringing.

“The beginning of the end,” the first single from this record, really set the stage for her pop vision — it starts with a bold synth melody and powerful vocals, which then completely cuts into an acoustic, poppy hook in the chorus. The message, about the difficulty of understanding herself and trying to validate her desires, is one that will keep popping up thematically. And points for the rockin’ outro!

“head, shoulders, knees and ankles,” turns to the topic of romance with a tale of an unrequited love driving Springs crazy. She describes an angel: “Frequently her golden silhouette will linger right before my eye / Will see an arrow strike my chest and cause my heart to beat awry / I paid a pretty penny to procure the pirates of Perai / And sail a ship that leads me to the tears I cry”. Springs also pulls out a harpsichord on this one — I love to hear how the baroque influences intertwine with what sounds like a video game soundtrack, in the best possible way.

“w-w-w-w-w” tells a haunting story of a forced marriage between an older, racist man, and a young woman in order to save her family from hardship. You can feel her disgust with the story in how she sings, and in the eerie instrumental, with a trip hop-style beat and a siren. Springs makes this repulsion clear in the brilliant contrast between the verse and chorus: “I would rather kill myself than look him in the eyes and say / I want your love.”

The religious theme returns on “Moses,” where it opens with a gospel choir and carries a resoluteness in reference to the title figure. From there, it goes into a pulsating drum and bass instrumental, and does a great job of melding the dance-pop of the music with the crusade for a higher existence.

“Sever the blight” was an old single from 2023 that did not make it on the EP, so I was happy to see it land (and fit quite well) on the album. Another dramatic intro builds well into the synthy, driving second part of the verse, that tells a relatable story of being forced to be patient in order for the love of her life to arrive. “sense (is)” starts with its own prelude, with sounds of strings, children playing and stomping feet, until it hits you in the song proper with a driving synth and Springs delivering an impassioned, angry vocal. The artist is now decidedly biting the apple of knowledge, and with bright melodies, she acknowledges the temptation and the path she is on.
This instrumental also had the intensity and whimsical nature of a video game, but this time, maybe on a final boss battle.

“Set Me Free,” the biggest style diversion of the project, is a fun and flirty R&B jam, the most “chill” moment on the record, where Springs asks the object of her affection to do the aforementioned and fall in love. And it comes with a late-song key change!

The closer, “Be the Girl!” is both the longest, at over five minutes, and most definitive (in terms of mission statement) song on the album. The artist builds this icy environment in the instrumental that gradually builds in intensity, and then goes into this driving chorus, all about Springs saying goodbye to the old version of herself and changing into a new person: “But I don’t have another tear to offer to the East Pacific shore / And I don’t have a lover, why would I when I have never loved before?” This one also references apples, and another key change!
It is my favorite vocal performance from Hemlocke Springs on the album, with a real impassioned, almost angry delivery of the uncertainty that she feels at the moment. And it all ends on a spectacular fadeout, leaving us all wanting more, but happy that this debut record is exactly as good as all us fans were hoping for.

My notes on my first listen of this album say “Hooks hooks hooks…tons of personality…medieval vibe.” (and yes, it’s true!) Springs is excellent at making songs that demand you listen to them, to think about what they mean, and why she is saying a certain message. There is no easy answer, but that is what makes it a great pop record, and surely one of the best releases we will see in 2026.