EP Review: LORYN - 'Less Is More'
Canadian allt-pop newcomer LORYN faces big emotional elephants in the room in long-awaited debut EP ‘Less Is More’.
Stirring away from the trends of opaque superstars and concept-led pop identities, the Canadian multidimensional pop artist LORYN surprises us with a refreshingly candid and direct proposal in her five-track debut EP ‘Less Is More’. With overall minimalistic electronic production contrasted by acoustic highlights and incredibly raw vocals, the EP addresses thoughts and feelings which are often kept hidden away.
Gloomy yet powerful ‘Sirens’ is the perfect opening track for such a vulnerable project. The strikingly minimal yet very emotionally loaded song exemplifies the self-sabotage that takes place in a relationship. In the track, LORYN’s pungent vocals are echoed by electronic harmonies mirroring the presence of multiple voices in her head as she sings “I ain’t safe to love, boy you better run, before the sirens come”.
The same voices follow her throughout the whole EP pushing and pulling away generating more tension. This is just one of many examples of brilliant text painting in her songwriting. In lead single ‘Less Is More’, a rhythmic guitar guides the listener through a heavily produced verse until the song reaches the chorus where she breaks pop rules by is stripping all elements away as she sings “Less is more, I like you better, like you better when less is more”.
As tension keeps increasing, more and more “emotional elephants in the rooms” are unmasked and other controversial topics are addressed. In provokingly honest ‘No Lines’, the artist explores the subconscious temptation of being around someone’s ex. “We know no lines, what’s the story with us, we’re f****n’ notorious, I can’t get you outta my mind”, is what the singer says as a punk/rock-inspired arrangement accompanies the lyrics.
In the EP, the artist certainly managed to transgress musical genres by creating a compelling experience full of expressive minimalistic electronic details combined with breathtakingly direct lyricism. Less Is More is just an introduction to her varied sonic palette and definitely leaves us wondering what else does LORYN have under her sleeve.
Words by Nicole Otero