LAYA – Um, Hello [EP]

LAYA‘s new Um, Hello EP is a journey through the trials and triumphs of a young woman navigating life in these marvelous times. Meticulously constructed and cohesively arranged, this project impacts like a chance encounter with a complex and compelling songwriter who has a golden ear when it comes to picking beats. On songs like the beautifully bouncy “Bitter“, “Too Up“, and “Brag“, LAYA uses her platform to explore the personal topics of envy and personal drive, doing so with a cool confidence that never feels forced. On the surface, the songs feel like trap soul numbers that explore the ups and downs of love. But a deeper listening quickly exposes the fact that (at least on these songs) LAYA is more interested in exploring her personal life and choices outside of a romantic setting. “Bitter” is an especially dope piece. On it, the singer directly addresses her haters with scathing lyrics that are delivered in a deceptively laid-back manner. Her style on this song, and actually for much of the album, lands somewhere between a rightfully cocky Missy Elliot and an elegantly reserved Alex Isley. She has a lovely voice that is equal parts wispy and powerful, which seems to be harder and harder to find in up-and-coming vocalists. Other standouts on Um, Hello include “On Sight“, “Incomplete” and a slowed-down and syrupy redux of Brandy‘s “I Wanna Be Down” called “Crazy Down“. 

You can show your support by streaming the EP on your favorite digital music spot below as well as check out more from LAYA by visiting the links listed.

7/10 – Very Good
This is an album where the reviewer really enjoys the majority of the tracks and still finds it compelling even after multiple listens. Listeners will probably be listening to this album fairly regularly for at least a month or until something the same or better comes along. Even after that, the listener will most likely revisit the album a few times during the year.

Stream & buy LAYA‘s music on…
( Amazon | Apple_Music | Bandcamp | Deezer | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube_Music )

Connect with LAYA on…
( Facebook | Instagram | Official_Site | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube )