Dejection and desire.
Antsy piano. Deep vocals full of desire. Synths roll in slowly as vocals begin to echo and bounce from ear to ear. Heaven 2 is here.
Lala Lala explores playful drums, sensitive lyrics and various accents. Her melodic voice accents the understated production of the album, creating a thoughtfully smooth listening experience.
Songs like “Tricks” lean into eerie mysteriousness while songs like “Does This Go Faster” balance bitter lyrics and classic pop production.
“Does This Go Faster” is definitely the star of the show. Its chorus waxes relatably, but it’s the bridge that shines the most. It takes the listener through a journey, starting at a party, then driving to a precarious boat ride where a dog is waiting as a peace offering, then bringing it all back to the same party and reintroducing the chorus. The chorus itself is an ear worm and a half as well. Singing “Nothing on Earth is free, even in ecstasy. Hell is the day after the party,” thoughts that eventually run through every young person’s head in some shape or form, make this a perfect encapsulation of a rarely-explored aspect of youth.
Most songs on the album also have this characteristic, but the various ways they express it is part of what makes this album so exciting and easy to listen to. “Anywave” tells a story of trying to get over someone while simultaneously finding oneself. It has regrettably sympathetic lyrics and a somber vocal tone, but Lala Lala pairs it with a strong electronic beat and an intensely engaging techno interlude.
Things get completely turned on their heads when the title track, “Heaven 2” starts playing. Its production is understated, as are the vocals. The lyrics are heartbreaking, suggesting endless misery and asking if self-sabotage is the answer. While other songs on this project may be downcast, this one is by far the most devastating. Yet, that can be both its saving grace and its Achilles’ heel as it’s there for its audience when they’re feeling just as low, but so despairing itself that it’s nearly impossible to listen to in a good headspace.
Lala Lala’s Heaven 2 is there for you when you need it and waiting for you when you don’t. It’s personal yet responsive and upbeat yet reflective. Its evocative lyrics are deeply resonant with young people from all walks of life, and the album is stronger for it.
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