Review Summary: Lanu’s brand of breezy, charming indie-pop may make for the feel good summer album of the year.
There is a peaceful, almost sublime air surrounding Lance Ferguson’s first solo release. The Bamboos’ front man, who goes by the moniker Lanu, has collaborated with Australian vocalist Megan Washington to compose an album that is equal parts indie, dream pop, and electronica.
Her 12 Faces blends these eclectic styles effortlessly and yields something so pure and smooth that it hardly feels like a fusion of anything at all. With heavily textured atmospheres, funk undertones, and a laid back Caribbean vibe, Lanu has bestowed upon us the perfect summer present – one that also figures to garner appreciation long after the heat dwindles.
The cover art and title allude to something far more cryptic than what we are actually presented with: a front-and-center seat to the most accessible, easily enjoyable pop album to come out of the southwestern Pacific in quite some time. The album primarily revolves around Lanu’s instrumental wizardry, as he concocts some of the most vivid, tangible atmospheres that can be imagined. Even without Washington’s vocal contributions bolstering half of the tracks, Lanu’s soundscapes are more than enough to transport the listener to an entirely different world – or at least make the world they
are in feel like a tropical paradise. Perhaps the most amazing thing of all is that he does it while completely avoiding all of the clichés and expected pitfalls of an atmospheric summer album. There is no mariachi backdrop, no banjo, and nothing to suggest that the music is being performed by anyone other than Lanu. Everything here is original craftsmanship, and that gives
Her 12 Faces a feeling of novelty not often achieved, and even less frequently achieved at such a high level. This is an album that invents itself as it progresses, gently tumbling over waves of brilliant layering and perfectly executed pop ideals.
Although
Her 12 Faces doesn’t
need vocals to successfully achieve its sound, Megan Washington remains the wildcard that elevates the album from pretty great to truly superb. ‘Beautiful Trash’ is a sprightly opening track, and Washington is at times reminiscent of the exquisite Zooey Deschanel (of
She & Him). However, it is also somewhat misleading, as it is probably the most standard pop song on the record and contains its only definable “hooks.” Most of the time, Washington’s appeal comes in the form of her storytelling verses and hypnotizing chants; such is present in the deeply personal ‘Fall' – a song that stands above the rest in terms of accessibility and is sure to make an impact on radios
somewhere, if not internationally. ‘Fall’ brings everything to the table, from the aforementioned angelic vocals to Lanu’s dreamy but urgent instrumentals capable of drawing comparisons to
The Temper Trap. On ‘Hold Me Down’, her vocals are accompanied by strings and chimes that give the song the feeling of a utopia characterized by swelling positive emotions. Anchoring a key spot in the record’s early portion, ‘Hold Me Down’ is a heavy contributor to the summer paradise aura created throughout the collage of songs that make up
Her 12 Faces. The title track (of the same name, obviously) is not assisted by singing so much as it is spoken words, something that Megan Washington does entirely in another language to a background of cheerful sounding classical piano notes. Although it is a significant departure from the norm for both her and Lanu, it manages to fit comfortably within the album’s whirlwind of sounds, which speaks volumes about
Her 12 Faces’ ability to sustain a melting pot of what would otherwise be clashing styles. With an abundance of ideas in her arsenal, Washington finds multiple ways to impact and elevate this album to almost unthinkable heights.
One would be remiss to declare this as a vocally charged album, however. Lanu is clearly the man behind the wheel in
Her 12 Faces, and it is through his instrumentals, production, and electronic experimentation that it is able to take off the way that it does. ‘Der Hotel Blume’ is the first instrumental track, and it doesn’t disappoint. With pianos creating a spring time urban vibe, it struts along confidently to a chorus of pitter-pat drumming, choir-like hums, and glass-tinged sound effects subtle enough to graze your spine without you feeling a thing. ‘Portrait in 50hz’ is accompanied by an aquatic sensation, with deep echoing drums and hushed snares giving off a feeling that the listener is slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, while watching the beautiful rays of sunlight from above intertwine in the twilight. The title of the song is also revealing of Lanu’s ability as an artist to paint us an audible portrait, alternating between heavier, layered strokes and more subtle touches of genius. One of those more subtle moments comes in the form of ‘The Coral Route’, a song that is primitive in its development – only drums and electronic effects are utilized – yet it is awe-inspiring on so many different levels. The tropical vibe continues the album’s “theme”, if you will, but its remarkable rhythm and confident beat come dangerously close to flirting with hip-hop…something that if Lanu pursued could probably fit in here just as well as all the other mixed genre styles. Seemingly, he can do no wrong…and in the vast scope of
Her 12 Faces, there is little evidence to prove otherwise.
The feeling during the majority of
Her 12 Faces is that we are mere spectators observing something very rare and special as it unfolds…and to be honest, that is not far removed from the truth. Lance Ferguson is a master of his art, and this album is a straightforward work that somehow transcends its simplicity by being so astonishingly good that it beckons us to search beneath its surface; delving into its musical fabric in search of enlightenment. Combined with the grace and pop sensibility of Megan Washington’s voice,
Her 12 Faces is primed to be 2011’s unstoppable indie/electronic-pop album of the year – and a perfect companion throughout the summer months to come.
