Katy & The Null Sets: Troublemaker [Album Review]

Katy & The Null Sets
Troublemaker
Self-Released [2025]

“Katy Ohsiek turns self-reflection into indie gold with Troublemaker’s mix of heart, humor, and hook.”

Album Overview: Katy & the Null Sets marks the solo debut of Portland-based musician Katy Ohsiek, best known for co-fronting the disco-pop duo Foamboy. Raised in a musical family in Monterey, California, Ohsiek began writing songs as a teenager, drawn to the idea of pairing emotional honesty with melody. After years of performing in collaborative projects, she launched this new venture to explore her own stories—joined by a rotating cast of Northwest musicians who help bring her vision into focus.

Troublemaker is Ohsiek’s first full-length under this name, and it feels like both a reset and a revelation. The record turns inward while playing with multiple moods and textures—part introspection, part confession. It wrestles with self-examination, relationships, and renewal, balancing vulnerability with sly humor. Ohsiek doesn’t just write about heartbreak or confusion; she questions her own role in them. The result is an album that feels intimate yet assured—a confident first step into new creative territory.

Musical Style: The album skips across genres with ease, moving from acoustic hush to rhythmic bursts of groove. You’ll catch glimpses of bossa nova, indie rock, and modern folk—sometimes within the same track. Ohsiek’s featherlight vocals glide over crisp guitar lines and fluid rhythms, creating a sound that’s both warm and spontaneous. It’s music that feels comfortable sitting between quiet reflection and open-hearted release.

Evolution of Sound: If Foamboy is Ohsiek’s neon-lit dance project, Troublemaker is the after-hours reflection that follows. Recorded in producer Yu Kiatvongcharoen’s home studio, the album trades synths for texture—layered harmonies, fuzzy guitars, and dynamic shifts that keep things alive and unpredictable. This is Ohsiek stretching her indie-pop roots into something rawer, something that breathes and cracks in real time.

Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of The Beths, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, Rilo Kiley, and Madison Cunningham will find familiar sparks here. There’s also some of Faye Webster’s laid-back charm and Snail Mail’s emotional candor woven through Ohsiek’s songs. Like Katy Kirby, she balances clever wordplay with an understated touch—letting the songwriting, not the spectacle, carry the weight.

Pivotal Tracks: “I Wish I Had Met You in the Summer” sets the tone with a bittersweet melody that glows through regret. “Fuck Me” channels frustration into a noisy, cathartic burst of ’90s-alt energy. “Last Time/Next Time” slips between jazzy verses and an eruptive guitar outro, mirroring the album’s emotional push-and-pull. Closer “Shouldn’t I Be Done?” brings things full circle, landing on self-acceptance and hard-earned calm.

Lyrical Strength: Ohsiek’s lyrics hit that sweet spot between confessional and conversational. She’s funny, blunt, and self-aware—often unpacking messy feelings without melodrama. Her writing turns small details into emotional landmarks, finding strength in vulnerability. It’s the kind of honesty that feels lived-in, like talking to a friend who tells it to you straight but still leaves you smiling.

Final Groove: Troublemaker is an impressive first swing for Katy & the Null Sets—an album that feels personal but never precious, sharp but never cold. It won’t blow the doors off its genre, but it’s full of subtle moments that linger long after. Ohsiek proves she can stand on her own and make something that sticks. If this is her foundation, the next chapter should be even bolder—and maybe just a little louder.

KATY & THE NULL SETS LINKS
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