BEST EX (formerly Candy Hearts) continue their sonic revolution, with the UPSET Magazine premiere of “Someday” off of the upcoming Ice Cream Anti Social EP, which comes out July 14 on Alcopop! Records. Pre-orders are available at www.BestExNJ.com. The six-track EP is the first to be released under the new moniker and new indie/pop-leaning direction. Ice Cream Anti Social will be supported with a tour from June 25 to July 21 (dates below).

Applauded by Upset Magazine for its "glistening optimism" and "gritted teeth determination," “Someday” conveys both the sonic and emotional change conveyed on Ice Cream Anti Social before the song even really kicks in. Written in an introspective kick after seeing her friends’ band play a great show made her think of how much the struggle they’ve all been through to make something of themselves, singer-songwriter Mariel Loveland called the song “a sort of anthem to the most insecure parts of myself -- the parts that felt like the best I could do was never really good enough.”

Mariel’s soft vocals sing of the frustration and malaise of a solo commute amongst “everyone around you either drunk or asleep in their winter coats” and seeing her reflection with “messy hair and room to grow”; this weathered imagery rides along that continued buzzing synth, minimalistic drumming, and a dainty lead guitar that helps amplify the finesse through the frustration that the song expresses. The chorus of “someday we’re gonna get it / someday we’re gonna get it right”, with the group vocals, harmonies, and upbeat synths surging and swirling about makes this an anthem for anyone working on getting through all the frustration of life, and doing so with the perfect mix of lo-fi grit and shined up glitter. Demonstrating open-book lyricism coupled with dancey musical arrangements, Best Ex is very much a reflection of Mariel’s coming into her own as both a person and musician.

Mariel offered her headspace on the EP:

Ice Cream Anti Social is a glistening artistic re-imagination for Mariel, who has taken the heartfelt lyricism and hooks from her previous punk leaning work and brought them into looser, poppier arrangements. “Girlfriend,” the first single released under Best Ex, was called a “Synthpop jam” and “DIY Pop charmer” by Billboard (where it premiered last month) and Substream said “the name change comes with a new sound that is downright impossible to resist.” Songs like “February 4th” and “See You Again” retain some of the more guitar-involved sound of past work, with the former a softer, string-backed ballad and the latter combining the more electronic-leaning sound of Best Ex with some of the rock influence that many associate with Mariel. The EP-closing track “Jellyfish” fittingly features just Mariel singing over a ukelele, bringing an EP that explores a lot of sound and emotion to a close with the most intimate spotlight on the words and music of the songwriter at the heart of it all.

Best Ex is hitting the road later this month with a full US tour, alongside The Promise of Redemption (ex-Valencia),  Daisyhead (No Sleep Records), Baggage (ex-Swellers), and June Divided.