Two years in the making, New York-based indie artist Alec Portnoy (aka Leafboy) has at last released his debut album, ‘MOLT’.
Recorded at home (in his closet!), MOLT’s 11 tracks helped to heal Leafboy. He writes, “In the same way that animals shed their feathers or skin to grow and mature, this album portrays the moulting of the heart, and self. The arc of the album navigates through self-identity struggles, unrequited love, heartbreak, dealing with loss, and eventual healing and personal growth.”
I took Leafboy’s advice, and – as suggested – listened to the album from start to finish in one sitting using my favourite headphones.
‘i feel pretty’ – It’s a warm & intimate start, unfolding at a mournful pace. Alec’s voice is really expressive from the very first bar. Words & syllables are stretched and bent in unique ways, creating a constantly surprising cadence. The simple, stripped-down production feels like we are all sitting in the same room, eavesdropping on this raw, emotional performance:
“It takes a tough man to look this pretty
I’m obsessive and deadly clingy
Insecure so don’t call me skinny”
‘give me that high’ – The guitar sounds great here, every squeak and finger tap comes through loud and clear. I love the main motif – that descending final note in “give me that high” works so well. A beautiful song that flows perfectly from the last, it’s clear that Alec has a gift for connecting with an audience and imprinting feelings and emotions onto a song.
‘nobodies girl’ – Some squelchy analogue synth sounds and a crisp drum break (together with a sultry delivery of the vocal) give this track a surprising texture you can almost reach out and touch. It’s a wonderful development from the first couple of tracks. I liked the casual vibe (coughing included!). This feels like a jam – freewheeling musical conversation. The overlapping layers of sounds are brilliantly complementary, while everything has a smooth, satisfying groove and a sweet, soulful R&B flavour.
‘when I put everything in you’ – The breathy, hollow backing vocals sound like some strange organic synth from another world. Gentle vocal, guitar and piano melodies interlock in restless, winding layers. Drums come and go, adding a new, tactile dimension. This is a great example of MOLT’s unique sonic experimentation – I found the constant inventive use of FX & sound manipulation really exciting – it feels like new genres are being created in front of your eyes. I had no idea where this would go, but I was happy for the track to alternate between restrained quiet and the repeating, shuffling groove.
‘cold shoulder’ – Pizzicato strings and a distant piano create a halting drama. The vocal – smooth and warm – sounds like it might be on the edge of some emotional turmoil, and the space it’s given in the mix allows Alec to fully express the lyrics with an aching melody. Oh, and we also get some chanting backing vox!
“Now I’m losing your scent
Now I’m losing it
Give me cold shoulder”
‘will i be?’ – Like an exposed nerve, the vocal here is agonisingly raw – it feels like things might come apart at the seams. It really reminded me of the fragility & emotional power of Thom Yorke at certain points. This track is one of the shortest on the album, and it feels like this was something that needed to be expelled – a heartbroken performer pouring out his pain in an act of catharsis.
“Tell me how much longer will I be on your mind?”
Will I be, will I be…will I be”
‘this isn’t a song’ – The song starts with a quietly casual sniff, and ends with the sound of a creaking chair. In between, the intensity rises and falls, as though painful memories are being relived, and (hopefully) processed. Chants of “can’t get rid of it all” softly weave their way through the track. The rhythmic acoustic guitar subtly backed by piano and bass creates a heartbeat-like rhythm that seems to reach deep within. Who knew a song that mentions a hamster could make me feel so much?!
‘i miss my innocent youth’ – Walls close in as the closeness of the vocal brings things into sharp focus. There’s a loose, flowing feel as ideas float into and out of focus. Multiple melodies arrive and combine in a dream-like atmosphere that is only punctuated by the soft beat that arrives in the second half.
‘bruce’ – A hushed, breathy vocal and a wonderfully muted felt piano offer up a spectacularly heady atmosphere. A brief spoken section brings a new vocal texture. Like stepping closer to a painting, new details reveal themselves as you focus, and a hypnotising calm cradles the track as the melody is repeated. The delicate melody hangs in the air like morning mist.
“I’d lie awake a thousand nights just to see you again”
‘flowers blooming on my skin’ – The shortest track on the album (it’s a smidge over 2 minutes), this is pretty much just an acoustic guitar and Alec’s vocal, but this is another one of my favourites. It almost feels like a rebirth – an optimistic turn of the page. I thought the melody had a Beatles-esque quality, and the song’s soulful simplicity made it really special.
‘to be wild’ – I enjoyed the feeling of this final track. Sort of jaunty & hauntingly hopeful. The falsetto vocal offers yet another surprising timbre. The crisp guitar sounds like frozen droplets tapping against a window. As with the whole album, there’s a melodic depth and nuance that just makes you want to rewind and play it again and again.
The tracks on MOLT flow together in a way that feels natural and organic, telling fearlessly vulnerable stories that resonate with soulful maturity. Richly layered with melodic ideas and creative technical details, each song feels immediate but complex. They seem to be asking us to sit with them a while, exploring what they might become as we listen.
Throughout MOLT, glossy surfaces sit comfortably next to ragged edges, and as the layers are repeatedly stripped away, raw, exposed emotions are explored – and ultimately healed – with renewed strength.
A stunning debut album that feels like a living, breathing record – it seems to evolve in different ways with each listen.
MOLT (verb):
- To shed an outer layer – physical, emotional, or psychological – in order to grow, heal, or transform
Written by Grubby
