Lemonade Sin – Lost Days (2021)
Lemonade Sin is taking listeners on a soft rollercoaster ride through the tracks of Lost Days. From feeling like a prisoner to the joy of finding ripening chestnuts while walking, the band explores different themes with an infectious indie punch. A much-anticipated release, it is another step in the journey of the band and well worth the wait.
This amazing ride through themes and emotions come from Lee Friese-Green and Simon Aldous. The duo has known each other since their school days and have been involved in various bands together. Reconnecting in 2016, they decided to start writing songs together for the first time and released their first EP in 2019. Since then, they have been working on this release and are joined by Lucy Board (drums, trumpet, synths), Matthew Board (percussion, guitar, bass), Tim Friese-Green (vibraphone) and Robin Morgan (piano).
The EP opens with the rather relaxed vibes of ‘Too Much Time’. There is a hazy feeling to the jangle of the guitars that fills your muscles with a strange lethargy. The vocals float over your skin like warm air on a hot summer’s day while the female vocals breeze across you like a cool breath of air. As you listen to this track, you are filled with the urge to just take everything slow. The lyrics perfectly capture the odd lack of productivity that comes when you have too much time to do something. The pause halfway through the track is an interesting addition that leads you to more of the relaxed feeling while lighter tones sparkle through the soundscape.
‘Sane Asylum’ has you swaying to the music as it rolls around you like a wind coming off the ocean. There is a very chilled vibe to this track but it hits in a different way to the last. As the song progresses, there is a building feeling to the melody as some of the easy relaxation drops for a slight darkness in the lower levels. When the horn comes in, you are taken back to those easy vibes. The interplay of the vocals are wonderful and create an almost waltzing movement to the track. You really feel the urge to close your eyes and sway to the track. Throughout the track, there is a rather subtle contrast of light and dark that carefully insinuates itself into your brain.
The toe-tapping movement in the opening of ‘Shutting Down Again’ is a great fusion of organic and electronic tones. There is a wonderful vibrant movement to the music that makes you think of happy days and good vibes. This track fills you with a bright energy that lightens your emotions and has any negative feeling floating away in a bubble. There is a slightly retro vibe to some of the melodic movements but this is perfectly tempered by a contemporary edge in the lyrics. While the track has an overall light feeling, the vocals have a somewhat bittersweet vibe to them.
‘Superstaying Lipstick’ brings a wash of rock tones to the EP which is an amazing change after the generally light and airy feeling of the tracks before it. There is a really poignant message woven into this extremely engaging track that considers the masks we create to face the world. The vocals are amazing on this track as they sink their hooks into your brain and have you singing along. The chorus, in particular, will stick with you and you might find yourself singing it at random times. The interplay between the vocals and melody is great as the guitar bolsters the message of the lyrics and vocals.
The light taps and almost folky feeling to the opening of ‘Come Daphne’ is a lovely softness after the last track. There is a misty feeling to the song that makes you think of the early morning mists and dew dripping down leaves. This track really showcases the versatility of the band as the vocals shiver over you with their high tones. The spoken-word vocals add a poetic emphasis to the track that sends shivers racing down your spine. This is a really captivating song because it is quite different to anything else you might be hearing right now.
The EP comes to an end with ‘Lucky Dip’ and the expansive feeling of the opening. The music feels like it is reaching out toward the horizon and gently pulling you along for the ride. There is a somewhat melancholic feeling to the track that twists around an easy acceptance. The vocals have a delicate touch as they mist their way through your senses and have you floating through the soundscape. It is a really delightfully soft track that slowly leads you to a smile and an uplifting vibe. As the vocals take you through the thoughts of the lyrics, the music cuts in to softly lift you up and put you on a floating cloud.
Lemonade Sin has you floating on their sound while getting their lyrics seriously stuck in your brain through their EP Lost Days. While the EP has a generally soft flow, there is a roller coaster of emotion hiding beneath the gentle flows. Each track hits on different feelings from hidden pain to acceptance and upliftment.
Find out more about Lemonade Sin on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
