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Say Lou Lou – Lucid Dreaming

  • Written by  Kyle McCormick

You may recognise the name Say Lou Lou from the BBC’s Sound of 2014 nominations, or you may not, or you may recognise it from some other (but more “hip”) media outlet. Maybe you haven’t heard of them at all, maybe this is a nonsensical ramble…

Regardless of your prerequisite knowledge, first know the Say Lou Lou are a twin sister duo, and they make enthralling pop music – it’s the stuff of dreams, known more commonly as dream pop. Following numerous high quality singles, including ‘Everything We Touch’ and ‘Games For Girls’, and some release date delays, the duo’s debut album Lucid Dreaming is here for consumption.

That aforementioned single ‘Everything We Touch’ gets the album off to an enthusiastic beginning with its euphoric chorus as they proclaim that “everything we touch turns to gold at night.” Lacking in existential lyrics throughout, the less energetic ‘Glitter’ exhibits more of a lean towards the atmospheric tag of “dream pop” whilst retaining an undeniable danceability. Featuring Norwegian producer Lindstrøm, the sweet electronics of ‘Games For Girls’ are contrasted against the subdued and yearning tones of the spacious anthem ‘Julian’.

The dancefloor is temporarily evacuated of those who are too excitable, so that the lovers can have a moment of tenderness beginning with ‘Peppermint’ and lasting through ‘Beloved’ and the dynamic ‘Hard For A Man’ to ‘Wilder Than The Wind’ which features an endearingly sleep-inducing effect with its beautiful subtly. ‘Nothing But A Heartbeat’ reintroduces the concept of soaring choruses and rising melodies and vocals, and with its harmonic vocal touches among the thudding percussion makes it a worthy contender for the album’s best track. ‘Skylights’ seems to continue the formula of the preceding track to the album’s end, whilst twisting it into a more “conventional” form which sees the band at a potential commercial high, but musical low.

At the young age of 24, Miranda Anna and Elektra June Kilbey-Jansson have composed a promising debut record. Perhaps fraught with sibling tension throughout the writing and recording process, the finished product is sleek and polished pop music. Whilst the immediacy and energy of the music may defy its “dream pop” label it possesses adequate amounts of considered atmosphere to retain it. Whilst lacking in the marketability of worldwide sweetheart Taylor Swift, or other potential pop songstresses, Lucid Dreaming certainly provides a strong first impression of Say Lou Lou. A name to watch out for, and a record to write home about, these twin sisters and their penchant for entrancing composition may well take the world by storm yet.

Lucid Dreaming is available from Amazon and iTunes.

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