Ecca Vandal’s thrilling fusion of punk, rap and pop owes a considerable part of its origin to her foundational stint playing improvised jazz in her youth. Effortless spontaneity has remained a hallmark of the Melbourne-based Sri Lankan artist’s diverse work, whether she’s operating as a lead artist or as an in-demand guest star. Hear just how confidently she holds court over the slippery flutters and percolations of 2015’s “End of Time”, before leaning into the chanted pop chorus of 2017’s M.I.A.-esque “Future Heroine”. Such adaptability has allowed her to slip into other artists’ established soundworlds, ranging from repeated work with Alice Ivy and Sampa the Great to a standout role on Hilltop Hoods’ multiplatinum 2019 hit “Exit Sign”. Yet, for all her hip-hop bona fides, Ecca Vandal feels just as natural fronting the overdriven punk of 2024’s “BLEED BUT NEVER DIE” and the slow-burn alt-rock of 2025’s “MOLLY”. The latter sees her vocal delivery go from seething frustration to melodic confiding before the song dips into an extended coda of chill synth notes that confirms the sheer unpredictability of her output.