Album Review
Oblivion by Alice Phoebe Lou
Berlin based singer songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou released her seventh album on October 24th. It brings eleven new tracks showing off her self-reflective lyrics with a mix of stripped down acoustic guitar, solo piano songs and full band arrangements. Oblivion brings a more simple production style, with her signature reverberated sound, but less in comparison to some of her previous work. This allows her lush and expressive raw vocals to be highlighted in a very raw way.
My favorite single released in anticipation of this album was “The Surface”, Alice sings “I’ve got a lot to say until I need to say it, I wish my arguments were as good as in my head”. The track is simple; even when she sings “I scream,” it is with emotion and grace in her voice, not anger. She writes of self-appreciation, and even when focusing on anger, it is based on personal reflection. Through her vocal style, you can feel the emotion driving her songwriting. Alice has proven over the years, since her debut album Orbit in 2016, that she has the range to experiment with different arrangements and themes, always making the songs her own.
A new standout track I found on Oblivion is “Skyline”. Her vocals are mirrored by a moody piano building a story of a body. She builds the world with the physical, then adds thoughts, feelings, and opinions. The lyrical melodies are captivating and develop a unique track overall.
Alice’s new album reveals a new era of her music, proving her musical choices as moving once again. She will be on tour in 2025 and 2026 with her new songs.