Total Control

Released in 2022, Total Control is a six-track mini-album that marks a significant departure for Missy Higgins. Inspired by her work on the ABC television series of the same name, the project saw Higgins move away from her traditional acoustic guitar and piano arrangements toward a more synth-heavy, cinematic sound. The EP was largely written and recorded during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne, a context that likely contributed to its claustrophobic yet expansive atmosphere. Critics noted the influence of 80s art-pop and contemporary electronic music, praising Higgins for her vocal versatility and the record's thematic focus on female power and political maneuvering. While it retains her signature lyrical honesty, the production - characterized by dark basslines and shimmering digital textures - repositions her within the Australian indie landscape as an artist capable of sophisticated, genre-blurring experimentation. It stands as one of the most sonically adventurous entries in her discography.