Album Review: Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You
Star Rating: 3/5
Lightspeed Champion, the stage name of British singer songwriter Devonté Hynes, also the former Test Icicles guitarist, has returned with his second album “Life is Sweet! Nice To Meet You”, following 2008’s release, “Falling Off the Lavender Bridge”. The album comprises of an ambitious collection of twelve classical sounding pop songs, two instrumental intermissions and a piano arrangement titled “Goodnight Michalek”.
Whilst having quite an Indie feel, the album draws on various aspects of classical music assembling guitar and electronic keyboard synth sounds, as well as beautifully composed classical piano melodies characterizing several tracks. Each track seems to be packed with ideas and erratic rhythms, and this is definitely reflected throughout the album, which seems scattered with random outbursts of instrumentation at times.
However, it works well. “Middle of the Dark” in particular, compromises of interesting tempo arrangements, whilst “Smooth Day (At the Library)” is a much smoother, yet tantalizing ballad. Hynes obviously has an overactive imagination and an ability to make an unexpected collection of instruments and vocals, actually work when combined together. Genius.
By Kate Mckeown
