In 2018, with just a handful of melodies recorded on a thrifted tape machine, Toronto-based musician Freddy Kwon began his solo bedroom pop project freddyboy. That speaks to Kwon’s level of concision, his ability to build and layer an entire world seamlessly within a small space - in just three tracks, the 2021 EP Vignette002 solidified his multi-textured, maximalist take on lo-fi dream pop.
Hobby, his third EP, is another focused preservation and expansion of those ideas in a way that feels even more grounded. From the pensive, wistful vocals of lead single “On and On” to the lithe, crystalline guitar echoes of “This Time,” it is a beauty beginning to end. Bright and earnest, each of its five tracks feels like a much-needed escape from the world and its many expectations.
