We go back a little way with Hilla Peer, hers has been a musical journey we have watched since we spoke to her in early May 2023 on the release of her EP. She is the granddaughter of the wonderful Rachel Attas and came to a music career relatively late. In spite of that Hilla has been building up solid support, with her cover version of “Tainted Love” now with 26k + listens on Spotify.
Pre review, let me share the press release with you:
“Indie-pop artist Hilla Peer wrote and recorded her new album over two years, the album emerged from a period of personal crisis and became a process of growth, healing, and a renewed perspective on life. The ten-track album blends intimate indie-pop with atmospheric arrangements, while moving fluidly between genres — reflecting life itself: shifting, layered, and constantly changing between moments of light and moments of depth.Half of the songs were released as singles over the past six months, while the remaining tracks debut with the full album. Each song stands on its own while contributing to a raw, honest, and uncompromised body of work.
The album was created in collaboration with producers from Israel and abroad and supported by the ACUM Foundation for the Encouragement of Creativity.”
Available on all major streaming platforms.
My Review:
Released on January 26, 2026, the album has 10 tracks and runs to 28 minutes.
“Under the Surface” opens with a heavy indie pop sound. It’s quite a slow track, but you could see it played in a late night live bar and have some slow dancers on the floor.
“Hide and Seek” is lighter and one I instantly liked. We reviewed this previously here and it’s very good, radio friendly and a track that I would happily dance to while I was cooking lol. It has this cool down bass beat, quite simple in delivery, but it works well. A track to step out to and I would have opened the album with it personally.
“Fight or Flight” returns to a slower pop fused outing, rhythmic and with a repeat chant of the theme. It’s interesting and kind of drifts along pleasantly.
“Sawa-Sawa” is delivered along with Pole-Classic, a Kenyan musician – Lorraine reviewed this for us when it was released and said, “it has a modern commercial sound that would do well on smooth radio or would play well on evening listening. The dual vocals work well, they move seamlessly between the two, each vocal adding something to the pot and the song has a gentle melody and sway to it that showcases a song for summer.” I will stick to her thoughts as I can’t disagree!
“Start Over” is a duet with Roy Aharon. It has a slower, and slightly funk infused, feel. You can enjoy the ride as the guitar licks are cool and it reminds me of a track I would listen to over a late night drink. There is a rocky vibe and slots into the mood of the album fine..
“The Life I Want” is a ballad, a singer and her piano. Hilla holds a lovely melody and I do like her vocals. It is a gentle track, uplifting and with wings that fly.
“Air Port” was another of the singles and one I have heard before. Revisiting the track it retains a compelling pull. It is a little storytelling song. I also like watching people sometimes and wondering about their life stories. It is a duet performed with GADEE and it is a very enjoyable track, probably in my top three in the album.
“TotoMotoLito” – this is quite different, the outlier on the album in some respects. It has quite a catchy beat, and at 2.17 it definitely does not overstay its welcome. Not really for me though this one.
“Sad Smiles” is sad, evocative and dreamy. It has a piano overlayered with violin and vocals. The track builds up to a tale of sad smiles.
“Julia” closes the album with the story of meeting Julia. It is a song that gently sways you to the close of the album which has overall been an engaging listening experience.
In summary this is an album that doesn’t shout for attention — it earns it quietly. “Under the Surface” is reflective, melodic and unforced, moving comfortably between late-night indie-pop, gentle storytelling and moments of understated groove. Hilla Peer sounds confident in her own space, letting the songs breathe and trusting the listener to come along for the ride. It’s an engaging, intimate listen from an artist still unfolding — and one well worth spending time with.
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Stream music from Hilla Peer here
By Anna-Louise Burgess