Romy Taylor 'Human Nature' EP Review | Groove Magazine

There’s something fascinating in what it means to be human, and a big part of it is figuring out life: figuring out your identity, your purpose, and the person you want to be around others. However, experiencing life and figuring out self-identity is rarely a straightforward, linear process. At times you’ll feel like you know your purpose and you feel at peace, whilst at other times you may feel emotionally disconnected and frustrated. Romy Taylor’s newest EP Human Nature is a perfect representation of the complex journey in life to feel fulfilled and be emotionally resilient, and that despite setbacks, it is completely normal to just simply feel, and take time to process these negative emotions.

Since releasing her 2024 EP loud thoughts in a quiet room., Romy has grown her presence in the Leeds music scene, playing venues and festivals such as Brudenell Social Club, Live At Leeds Festival & Hyde Park Book Club. She is also slowly solidifying her position within the wider UK music scene, having had airtime on BBC Introducing & BBC Radio 5 Live, played at Pippa Festival & Humber Street Sesh, and having played both Deer Shed Festival and Shambala Festival this year. Blending raw acoustic elements and ethereal 80s synths with introspective lyricism and smooth vocals, Human Nature is a soulful, intimate and personal project that is no doubt authentically hers. It was released independently in late June 2026 and made alongside collaborators Nathaniel Tozer-Loft and Bradley Cobb.

Human Nature EP Cover / via @romytaylorr

The first track of the EP is the title track itself, ‘Human Nature’, in which Romy said she “wrote this for all the overthinky, avoidant, anxious, daydreaming and yearning part of [herself] that is sometimes hard to live with”, and “at the end of the day it IS human nature to loooooveeee and to feel big big emotions, we should all just let it in”. We are instantly transported into a narrative when Romy sings “I follow your footsteps, follow the steps and misdirection”, which is paired with electric guitar and bass to establish slight momentum in the song. The chorus gives us a glimpse of Romy accepting that her emotional hardships are a normal part of life and realising that being emotionally vulnerable is completely human and natural to feel: “I didn’t want to, but it was human to love you, human nature”. Instrumentally, it is incredibly textured with all the parts interweaving amongst each other, creating a gentle yet pulsating sonic bed that pairs nicely with Romy’s journey of emotions.

There are a lot of harmonic changes in the song that also reflect the different stages of Romy’s journey to refind herself, and throughout the song, it’s clear she is navigating and slowly coming to terms with the uncomfortable. There’s a sense of hopefulness and emotional resilience as Romy repeats the words “any day”, and we instinctively feel the rising against the emotions that once held her down. It’s an honest, deeply personal track, and listening to it feels like wandering through a dark forest with no idea which way to go, until a path finally opens up and you step out into a warm, colourful sunrise.

We see Romy’s more playful, daydreamy side with ‘Sea Song’, with the song feeling like a tidal wave rising ashore, and retracting again. Opening up with a foley ocean waves sound, there is an immediate sense of calm, which is then followed by percussion and a synth that sounds like blowing through a big conch shell. Gradually, other instruments enter, and you hear Romy calmly humming away, accompanied by an electric guitar melody that is simple, yet catchy and engaging, creating a dreamy, floaty sonic landscape. It is a longer yet refreshing intro that keeps up the tranquil atmosphere created, and also has minimal but intriguing sonic changes to keep the listeners engaged. Romy perfectly encapsulates emotional resilience in this track; despite challenges that can be overwhelming, driven by her lyricism “with waters unforgiving”, “rage”, and “even when the deeper sea calls out to her”, she overcomes those feelings and remains internally peaceful and hopeful: “she stays afloat”. This song is the epitome of beach and summer vibes, paired with ruminative musicality.

‘Desire’ reflects on Romy’s internal conflict with emotional processing, exploring themes of yearning to break away from her struggles and hardships. She opens up to listeners about her vulnerability yet again; however, it feels more direct and personal, creating a sense of rawness and honesty. We see elements of childlike innocence and playfulness, where Romy admits “I feel like a child” and “We’ve got to play the games till you get around it”. The chorus instrumentation is very captivating and clearly done with intention, as it fluctuates from just delicate yet rhythmic piano and gentle vocals to big, bold and vibrant instrumentation, cementing the feeling of deep yearning and longing to be at peace with emotional navigation further. There is a repeated notion of desire with the lyrics “My desire in hiding, fighting its way to you”, where she melodically rises in the bridge, accompanied by vocal chants and eclectic instrumentation which adds to a bigger sonic atmosphere, and feels hopeful, resilient and encouraging. It is a moment that is truly mesmerising and captivating to listen to, and you can really feel that sudden rise of energy that Romy channels.

Romy closes the EP with ‘Close To Kin’, which she states is a homage to her mother. The instrumentation is more orchestral and ballad-like, with an arpeggiated piano that not only drives the song and gives it pulse, but also evokes feelings of nostalgia, comfort and longing. This song is incredibly intimate and personal, as the listeners can see the relationship between Romy and her mother unfold, and how that relationship is nurturing and loving; it feels like being pulled into a warm hug from a mother. We clearly see that Romy has a lot of love for her mother and sees her as an important figure in her life; there are clear connotations of warmth, trust, belonging and reassurance as she sings “Hold me, keep me close to skin”. There’s also a bittersweet reflection of time passing when Romy sings “Make me feel forever young, and when the morning comes, I’ll be here, you’ll be here”, and the sense of treasuring time with her mother. The second verse includes a plethora of vivid imagery, including “paisley sheets”, “orange coats”, “dusty books” and “coloured pebbles”, where Romy fondly reflects on her childhood and the physical attributes that she associates with home, finding a familiar comfort and safety in those objects that she’s always known to be not just a part of her home with her mum, but also a part of her life. This song truly encapsulates how a mother and daughter relationship is truly unwavering, and that a mother’s love is unconditional; it’s undeniably emotional, moving and tear-jerking.

Overall, Human Nature is a raw, carefully crafted record. It isn’t easy to be this open about a vulnerable stretch of life, let alone produce a standout EP that channels all of these emotional challenges and processes. It is a clear storyboard of Romy’s deepest feelings and thoughts; a collection of songs so gut-wrenching but truly in the most beautiful way. With a plethora of vivid imagery, hypnotic vocals and compelling instrumentation, this EP evokes feelings of vulnerability, newfound change and acceptance.

There is a definitive takeaway: it is, in fact, human nature to be okay with the uncomfortable, to face your emotions head-on, and to embrace everything that happens in life regardless of how big, small, overwhelming, or joyful.

Romy Taylor Lets the Big Feelings In on New EP Human Nature

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