Lucy Mason’s piano laden melodies and hushed voices are made for my speakers. Her EP, released last week, is an excellent debut to kickstart a chamber pop singer songwriter career.
Opening with single “Hunger”, light organs and synths give way to chilled beats and strong lyrics as initially a Sarah McLachlan-like voice carries a wiser-than-it-should-be voice over to you. Lucy’s voice however has a higher register and in the chorus she’s able to soar effortlessly with multiple hushed layers dripping over smooth guitars and keyboards. “Going Home Broke” is an understated anthem that is full of pop sensibilities and catchy hooks. I love how the backing vocals sound like ghostly calls under what could have been a very straightforward pop song without all its quirks and intricacies. “Feels like Midnight” is an absolute keeper too as the calming muted piano and vocal track showcases Mason’s ability to transcend the usual ballad style of an electronic based artist to something more singer/songwriter driven. Having skewed all the huge drums and production, “Latest Love” goes full hog and crams in huge percussion, elements of EDM production and something of a nod to a credible Eurovision winner. However my favourite is saved for last. “Teenage Fire” has clever production, tight melodies and a wonderful crossover of pop styles that encompass her Australian routes but nods to Scandinavian pop too like Lisa Miskovsky. It’s the perfect amount of pop and dirt to get your pulse racing. In fact, with tracks produced in Australia, London and LA – you can tell there’s different influences and thoughts throughout the EP, even though it all comes together beautifully.
“Going Home Broke” is a fabulous debut and is sure to get a crowd of fans for Lucy’s baroque synth pop. With so much scope on offer, it’ll be interesting to see how she handles this in future releases as she can clearly turn her hand to a variety of styles and sounds.
Recommended Track : Teenage Fire