The slick brilliance of LA-based trio LANY’s soulful electronica has never been in question, so it comes as no surprise that their first collection of songs, an EP entitled i loved you., is absolutely gorgeous — a blissful, chilled-out journey through a landscape of hope, heartbreak and longing. With the same kind of delicate, minimal attention to detail that characterizes their spare album art and creative typographical choices, the four tracks on LANY’s debut EP weave synths, guitars, beats and lead vocalist Paul Klein’s careful lyrics into an evocative, emotional soundscape.
Indelibly catchy, LANY’s melodies verge on Broadway-like at times, but their grandiosity is somehow never at odds with the laid-back production that the band made its name on. EP standout “youarefire”, a ballad of high-school romance, features a cliche narrative that’s given immense gravitas by the respect LANY pays to the intensity of teenage love. “This is it, we are gold, you are fire / Don’t wanna learn, I’m scared to burn / Pray to god you’re not a liar,” sings Klein, surrounded by echoing solo guitar riffs that swirl up and around like smoke from the cigarettes that the song’s protagonists treasure.
Paying their dues to their twin influences of 80s synth-pop and 90s R&B, but always keeping their composition future-facing, LANY stands out in the crowded field of upstart pop groups. i loved you. is a small wonder, a set of songs made all the more impressive by the fact that it’s only the beginning.