Nicole Alison sparked oxytocin with the conversationally quaint indie-pop earworm, Almost Christmas –

Nicole Alison channelled conversationally quaint indie pop into Almost Christmas; a track that scratches the whimsical itch while gently abstracting you from the idea that this time of year revolves around a consumerist frenzy. If you have already exhausted Lily Allen’s latest LP and you are seeking something that lets you breathe rather than brace, this upbeat sticky-sweet earworm nestles the aura of anticipation into a playfully pretence-less burst of indie pop energy.

Almost Christmas pulls you into appreciation of the season through hooks that feel like they were dipped in sugar, then handed to you under soft fairy lights; it is a cosy, candy-cane-tinted rush that sparks oxytocin as it allows you to savour physically or metaphorically embracing the people who matter. By the time it edges toward its final refrain, you might find yourself wondering why we are still subjected to the same old Christmas songs that affront us the moment we step into a shop after November.

Born in Pretoria and raised on stages from family living rooms to talent competitions, Alison’s instinct for performance has been clear since she was four, when she first sang Cher’s Strong Enough at her grandmother’s house. Years of vocal training, gold-medal performances and gigs across Pretoria eventually led her to London, where she studied at BIMM and released her debut single while sharpening her songwriting voice.

Performances at venues such as the Half Moon and Under The Bridge cemented her presence, and recent radio support in the UK hints at a wider audience opening up. Almost Christmas sits comfortably within her fondness for country, indie, soul, blues and pop, yet its charm lies in the way she shapes that palette into something warm, witty and unabashedly sentimental.

Almost Christmas is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast