Sweet Whirl

Sweet Whirl serves as the solo outlet for Australian musician Esther Edquist, whose wry, sophisticated adult-alternative pop draws inspiration from songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, and Bob Dylan. The project’s first official full-length release, the reflective album How Much Works, surfaced in 2020.

Based in Melbourne, where she performs as a singer and bass guitarist, Edquist issued several EPs during the early to mid-2010s as one half of the downcast dream pop duo Superstar alongside Kieran Hegarty. Her initial solo outing under the Sweet Whirl name, limited to electric bass and vocals, appeared on the local experimental imprint Nice Music in 2016.

Refining her approach by sharpening the sound, broadening the arrangements, and prioritizing classic songwriting over hazy textures, she moved toward a noir-pop sensibility on the six-track Love Songs & Poetry, issued by Chapter Music in mid-2019. On the mid-2020 follow-up How Much Works—the project’s official debut album—she pursued additional clarity while spotlighting keyboard instruments, with recording support from musicians affiliated with the Melbourne groups Total Control and Sleep Decade as well as labelmate Gregor.