If you’re after some soothing electronic beats with an ambient feel and stunning vocals then have a listen to Long Way Home, the long anticipated debut album by Låpsley. After winning the ‘One to Watch’ prize at Merseyside’s GIT Awards in April 2014, Låpsley really has been exactly that.
The album starts with “Heartless”, a song that starts off quiet and builds in layers before finally stripping down for a melodic piano section coupled with her altered vocals. The song really sets up the whole album, demonstrating many of the signature features that are found throughout. Piano, electronic sounds, altered voice and interesting and quirky backing vocals tying everything together.
Featured on the album are 4 singles previously released and one new one, “Falling Short” and “Hurt Me” being the two to chart. The latter is my personal favourite of the singles, the desperate vocals always giving me chills and it has the kind of sound you need to listen to with both headphones in, turned all the way up. The latest single “Love is Blind” I would say is arguably the most different of all the songs on the album, with an almost gospel choir feel to it with the simple drumbeat and the backing vocals in the chorus. Despite this there is still all the classic Låpsley features that you would expect, it’s also certainly a far more developed song than “Falling Short” for instance.
Another notable track is “Tell Me the Truth” a haunting mix of Låpsley and altered versions of her voice. What makes this stand out over the other tracks is the use of the deeper voice mixed with one of a higher tone in the chorus. This draws more attention to the powerful lyrics, creating a kind of emphasis and sound that you can rarely experience.
The album itself is a really cool collection of songs that put you in a relaxed state, without being predictable and boring. That being said, I find I cannot listen to this album over and over again without other music in between, it needs something to break it up occasionally.
In conclusion, Long Way Home is a fantastic debut album and it is clear Låpsley has come a long way in only two years. It is the kind of album that you can put on in the background and just have a chill session, or put it on whilst going for a long drive in the middle of the night. A must have for anyone looking for something fresh, interesting and chill.
Review by Cheylea Hopkinson