So I’m losing my mind over the amount of life-changing new releases this year. Instead of consistent, short, and timely music reviews, you get an explosion of obsessive ranting based on the tipping point between depression and periodic creative flow.
Lump - Animal
Mike Lindsay and Laura Marling return for their sophomore album. While still dancing in the strange universe they have created for themselves, This album exists figuratively during the daytime, unlike their debut. This Electronic folk-driven album spends time in a conscious state, where Lump - Self Titled plays almost entirely in the subconscious. While more organic sounding than their previous release, an attentive listener could extract many bits of micro-detail.
Darkside - Spiral
As the leading frontrunner for my favorite album of the year, Dave Harrington and Nicolas Jarr return with the unconventional and psychedelic album Spiral. Coming off of their 2013 electronic/Alternative masterpiece: Psychic, you wouldn’t guess their music would evolve to become such an exercise in World fusion. While both albums possess strings of originality and experimentation, Spiral vibes as a more conventionally constructed album with eastern-sounding compositions. Production is top-notch, guitars and synthesizers are a blended complement to each other, and the strange vocals are exactly what is needed. The final word is DYNAMIC.
Drug Store Romeos - The World Within Our Bedrooms
Bedroom pop: What started with the ease and accessibility of home recording products and software in the mid-2010s, the mainstay genre is now solidified with the restrictions of COVID 19. This album, title indicated, falls right in the coolest part of the bedroom pop genre. This young trio seems to find expression in the spaces between. While minimalist in the front end, the synthetic soundscape exists deeper in the recording and can be extracted on a great sounding system. Traditional live bass, drums, and vocals set this music apart from other artists in this genre. My favorite thing about this project is the intimate touch that could rarely happen in a studio recording. Very refreshing.
Clario - Sling
22-year-old Clario took me by surprise with unexpected expert album production and a tasteful touch in folk songwriting. Seeming to be heavily directed by producer and multi-instrumentalist Jack Antonoff, there is dynamic audiophilia throughout the entire album. While the heartbreaking lyrical content pulls the heartstrings, there is also somewhat of a hopeful tone about the album. It seems to be an album for rain or shine, for early mornings and late nights, a duality I suppose. From viral Soundcloud artist to the big leagues, Clario is someone we should all be paying close attention to.
Jorja Smith - Be Right Back
Grammy-nominated powerhouse, R&B, pop-soul singer Jorja Smith returns with a 25 minute EP that happens to be my most listened to album of 2021, according to Roon. Be Right Back is such a smooth album with the most honest lyrics. In the fading shadow of Amy Winehouse, Jorja shimmers with such intensity. Her voice is one of a kind, and she plays on the outskirts of Soul rooted pop music. This album has excellent repeated playability. Warm your heart with the sweet soulful sounds of the one and only Jorja Smith.