LAL/Lord Byrun
LAL
Meteors Could Come Down // Coax
LAL comprised of Rozina Kazi and Nicholas Murray may have rose to prominence last year with their Polaris Music Prize longlisted album Dark Beings but they have been active in the Toronto DIY community for over two decades. During this time, LAL has nurtured marginalized artists and slowly developed their own world of electronic music that views the dancefloor as a place of resistance and protest. While last year’s Dark Beings displayed a sense of scorn for the current world order and its hegemonic systems through a mix of beat heavy production and world-weary poetry, their latest album Meteors Could Come Down sees LAL at their most minimal and intimate. Recorded in the early months of the pandemic, it’s as if the duo has come to terms with their anger and have transitioned into providing hope and care for the wounded souls of this forsaken world. If Dark Beings was an angry battle cry, Meteor Could Come Down is soulful and therapeutic in nature.
The album’s overall mood is somber with Rosina Kazi’s warm molasses-like vocals floating over Nicholas Murray’s glacial time stretched beats. The spartan production allows Kazi’s melancholic vocals plenty of space in the mix to emphasize the gravity of the words. So powerful is the voice that each cadence seems to be packed with decades of hurt and meaning. On the albums title track, the subtle tick tock shuffle of the beat brings to mind the doomsday clock and fills the track with impending doom that an event like meteors falling from the sky would suggest. Its worth to note that here, “meteor” takes on the weight of the inevitable change which we must constantly adapt to and in return “we can build, and be strong”. It could be a stand in for climate change, the pandemic, capitalism and thousand other anxiety provoking situations beyond our control. Furthermore, LAL offers a helping hand and a sense of hope with the lines “so I’m taking precaution, if your willing, you’re welcome”. At times, LAL also seems to be ambivalent between holding on and letting go. The concept of moksha or liberation that exists in a lot of world religions seems to be the prevailing mood on “End of This World Together” where LAL have humbly accepted their fate and choose to face it with dignity and unity with their chosen family and friends (I hope that we feel the end of this world together, we do our best, despite the mess we’ve made). The track gently takes on an otherworldly hymn like euphoric energy as the communal handclaps melt into spacey synths with Kazi singing the last verse in her native Bengali language. The album does finish on a rejuvenating note with “Who You Are” which swings the pendulum back on the side of hope with the lines “with you I can do anything, with you I can be anyone, with me you can be who you are”.
Meteor Could Come Down vibrates in perfect harmony which is a testimony to duo’s rich history of working together. It also serves as a mirror for the increasingly troubled times that we are living in. Meteor Could Come Down along with their previous album Dark Beings act as sister albums in their themes of anger, frustration, resilience and hope. They make for tough but important and rewarding listens.
- Piyush Patel
Lord Byrun
Je suis un animal magique // Independent
Regina, Saskatchewan artist Lord Byrun is out with another album, the French companion to Spirit Animals, his debut album that arrived in May, earlier this year. Out on November 30, 2020, Je suis un animal magique includes eleven tracks, with the majority of them francophone. There are a few ties to Lord Byrun’s Spirit Animals, which include duplicates of the tracks “St. Francis” and “Chanson Traditionnelle”.
Featured on the album are many local musicians, who provide harmonies, percussion, horns, harmonica, and even some turntable skills. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Keiran Semple, who also happens to be the guitarist in Lord Byrun. Another notable contribution to Je suis un animal magique is Annette Nedilenka, who provided the album art. The colours included and the portrait of Byrun himself in the artwork do a fantastic job of capturing the vibe of the release and introducing the album.
Favourite tracks of mine are “Civil War” and “Katy”. They both differ in sound slightly from the rest of the album and bring something new to Byrun’s deck of cards. “Civil War” includes the much-anticipated fun lyrics and beats from the previous album, but also features Lucas Feser on the turntables and synth, ygretz on harmonies, and Christian Kongawi on the bongos. Being the longest track on the album at just under five minutes, there is no shortage of groove in this song.
“Katy” is a charming tune with a chorus of people exclaiming ‘Katy I love you!’ during the refrain of the song. It has a fun guitar riff, playful keys, and a tambourine; all of which bring joyful feelings with each listen. ygretz makes an appearance on this track as well, seeming to take on the role of “Katy”. I have had this song on repeat for quite some time since the album dropped and am sure it will continue this way for many days to come.
Je suis un animal magique is the perfect companion to Spirit Animals. It has the fun sound Lord Bryun is known for, but brings in new elements that add more excitement with each listen. With so many local, Regina musicians on the release, there is an immense amount of talent featured on this album. Even if you are not someone who speaks French, this is worth checking out.
- Holly-Anne Gilroy
