Lianne La Havas masterfully blends folk and soul in her new album, Blood. The British singer-songwriter follows up her more acoustic-based 2012 debut with a full recording experience in her sophomore effort, which sends her into uncharted musical territory and she learns what her ability and inner-sound is capable of. The ten-song album takes you on a journey from passionate emotion through R&B, to melancholy neo-soul, and folk ballads without missing a single beat.
She makes big strides in her performing, songwriting, and use of instrumentation, but makes sure to showcase her vocal chords as the most versatile instrument throughout the album. From a sonic point of view, the album keeps her soothing and powerful vocals center stage, while the mix of horns, stand up bass, guitar, and strings do not overpower her voice, but rather compliments and helps her shine.
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The album starts out with the more traditional soul vibes in “Unstoppable,” the pop-friendly “What You Don’t Do,” and the tastefully written “Tokyo,” which takes you on a journey through the neon-lit nightlife of Japan. Lianne makes sure to transition and stay close with her singer-songwriter roots towards the back half of the album in the modern sounding folk-based “Grow” and “Good Goodbye” before exposing the darker, heavier personality in “Never Get Enough.”
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Article: Tom Shackleford
