Staff Reviews

Lianne La Havas - Lost and Found

Review by Hayley Avron

For her debut release, it’s for the best that Lianne La Havas has keep it brief, until she finds her own identity and starts to carve her own path.»

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limited copies of lianne la havas' debut vinyl release comes with 2 art prints drawn / painted / conjured up by lianne herself. a liberated 4 track 10" of urban hymns from one of the uk's most exciting new artists 'lost and found' is the debut ep from singer - songwriter and multi-instrumentalist lianne la havas. ep opener 'no room for doubt' featuring willy mason is a one of a kind love song lullaby - a couple's relationship is laid bare in just four minutes. the song's simplicity coupled with the pair's vocal interplay will demand further exploration. the emotional immediacy of 'lost and found' (produced by matt hales) sits perfectly within the sparse landscape of its contemplative lyrical surroundings. 'age' (produced by dan carey) is a vintage and witty tale about not giving a damn about age when it comes to love. lianne recently performed 'age' for the black cab sessions - feedback was unanimous, a star had been born. 'night school's' film noir themes are stylishly folded within modest arrangements and a voice that dances between octaves at total ease. final track on the ep is a cover of everything everything's 'final form' (produced by matt ingram) here lianne grabs the original by the balls and combines smoky vocals and smoking baselines, reminiscent of early offerings from neo-soul pioneers such as erykah badu. lianne la havas first began to make music at the age of 7. rather than being pushed into lessons by over-zealous parents, lianne was given her first keyboard by her father and was allowed the pleasure of being left to her own devices. lianne nurtured her talent singing in school choirs and musicals; all the while feeding her voracious musical appetite with a broad range of influences. far from turning her into an imitation, lianne's influences helped her find her own voice. from heroines of relative antiquity such as nina simone, to the likes of lauryn hill, great voices inspired lianne to use her own. after making the decision to leave art school two years ago she's grown in skill and confidence.
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