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Photo by Claudia Chiossone

Relationships are complicated. Just ask rising indie pop-rock star Kevian Kraemer, who explores the ins and outs of a love that just won’t let him go on new EP only if it matters.

The 7-track project brings to mind groups like the 1975 and Two Door Cinema Club, pairing grungy guitar solos and crisp drumbeats with glittery pop production that make every song sound like the perfect party track.  

Kraemer explores every facet of a relationship, from the initial rush of flirtation — “You’re not like anybody else I’ve met // I'd like to see you til there’s nothing left,” he teases on “how can you tell” — to the hard fall of heartbreak, which bookends the EP.

“If you’re on my mind // does it still mean something?” he asks on opening track “does it still mean something?” — a question he still hasn’t answered in tim for only if it matters’ closing song “you woke me up,” where he admits, “We talk too much // I fell in love // you cut me off // and it keeps me up.”

In a statement about “you woke me up,” which was released earlier this year, Kraemer explained that the track “stems from a situation where my lack of awareness and communication hurt someone that I deeply care about and myself.”

“It’s about growing and understanding that I need to be more intentional in my relationships with people, especially romantic ones,” he added. 

Kraemer’s music is a throwback to the 2010s tumblr era, with visuals to match. The video for “does it still mean something?” is full of grainy film footage, performance scenes in front of a wall of TVs, and shots of Kraemer leaving his guitar behind as he races up stairs and bikes down streets — all of which would have racked up some major reblog numbers back in tumblr’s heyday. 

With only if it matters, Kraemer shows off a masterful sense of lyricism, as well as an ability to update throwback production styles for today’s listeners. He may not have all the answers when it comes to a broken heart, but with songs like these, Kraemer makes heartache sound good.