Set adrift in ambient washes, JOY. begins her third EP in a dreamy state with the six-minute opener “Down”. Yet the Brisbane singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist born Olivia Joy McCarthy brings her evocative voice into increasingly sharp focus over the course of Portal, anchoring her slow-burn pop with guitar and keyboards while still employing snappy beats on tracks like “Out of Love” and the lockdown-inspired “Alone on the Moon”. An in-demand collaborator who has worked with The Kid LAROI, BLESSED and Manu Crooks, JOY. has been releasing music since she was just 16. That early start is evident across these mature compositions, which integrate flowing string arrangements for heady results. On the closing “House”, a plaintive swath of violin echoes the wishful thinking of the lovelorn lyrics: “Oh, what a house we could build.” Fans of BANKS and London Grammar should especially enjoy JOY.’s organic blend of classic balladry and modern electronic shadings.