Artist: Lianne La Havas
Album: Blood
Lianne La Havas first grabbed our attention in 2012 with her breakthrough album, “Is Your Love Big Enough?” At that time, the 22 year old’s sound was influenced by the likes of Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige and Erykah Badu.
While some artists go all out with their debuts and disappoint with follow-ups, this narrative follows a different course. After three years, La Havas is back with Blood, a new album that’s recorded true to her style and inspired by her travels to Jamaica.
La Havas’ lyrical content has always been personal, and the tracks on Blood remain true to form. “Green and Gold” speaks to a childhood identity crisis and the attempt to make sense of the physical, while “Tokyo” is based on the feeling of loneliness that comes with moving from one place to another. On a lighter note, “What You Don’t Do”, is a track that just makes you want to get down and shake it out!
Since the release of her debut album, La Havas’ voice and range have matured, and the listener is encouraged to disregard all attempts to box her distinct sound. The marriage of pop, soul, jazz and heavy electronic rock work well in creating a beautiful story in just ten songs. In a recent interview with The Guardian, La Havas was quoted as saying that she eventually wants to do away with genre. Our response? This album is a great way of achieving exactly that.
Stand-out songs:
What You Don’t Do
Tokyo
Wonderful
Good Goodbye
