Gabrielle Aplin is someone I just discovered in this last year. Since that discovery I have really enjoyed the whole of their discography. An english songwriter with a love for folk singers as well as pop and rock icons; Aplin feels a relateable soul. I get this music in a way. Being of a similar age I think I see where the influences come from. I see familiar influences and styles in her music even when they have been used in a new genre or form. This album in particular feels like a synthesis of so many styles. It does its own thing while also doing individual elements 'right' in their call back to musical tropes. Altogether familiar with a particular freshness.

This album is filled with smooth and flowing tracks. The drums are stellar with calls to jazz and hip hop styling. The lyrics are fantastic. The guitar tasteful. The bass groovy. She delivers all eleven tracks spectacularly. Right from the top, "Skylight" delivers the vibe of this album. Punchy drums, soaring vocals, and intricate bass lines give it great form. "Good Enough" has rich guitar and vocals that lend the whole track a scratchy/breathy tone. "Wish I Didn't Press Send" is about sending that message you shouldn't have. It has great groove and takes me to a different time of pop music for certain. "Take It Easy," "Call Me," and "Don't say" veer into more synth-pop elements that sell their energy well. Then we have "Don't Know What I Want," "Half In Half Out," and "Mariana Trench" that explore more singer-songwriter vibes. The album feels a little mixed in influence and genre, but the flow of each song makes that feel quite right. It generally makes rather than breaks the cohesion of the whole thing. Musically I am absolutely in love with this album. Finding that it hits as hard sitting at a desk as it does driving around. Although for best effect maybe best enjoyed laying on the floor and contemplating life.

Sometimes I like to visit the songs I grew up with. The songs that set soundtrack to school. Hanging out with friends. The accompanyment of summer breaks and long winters. In some way these manage to capture that sound in a way that is both nostalgiac and new. Yes, laden with nostalgia but fresh and ready to lead my heart in new directions. The lyrics are pure poetry. Made more poignant and clear by the excellent instrumentals. I've been examining the sound of this album with a certain wonder. It almost feels like it belongs to my memories. Like it could have come out and played along with those memories. Yet it also feels as though it had to have all of that; like it could only have come into my life here and now. It is a spectacular synthesis that I strongly feel will stand the test of time.