With the ragged lo-fi DIY charm of acts like fan favourites Mac DeMarco and Steve Lacy, as well as the shimmering sunniness of Albert Hammond Jr’s cult classic debut album Yours To Keep, the new single from Toronto-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Zita is warm, characterful and inviting.
Arriving hot on the heels of last month’s sophomore album “dweeb”, “Lola” is an enchanting, easy-going tune that lilts along nicely, feeling both happy-go-lucky and also — somewhat perplexingly — kind of sorrowful at the same time.
This is probably down to the combination of the relatively cutesy bedroom pop instrumentation and the laid-back scratchy vocals. Both have personality in abundance, but definitely feel somewhat at odds when paired together. That’s not a bad thing though; it’s a technique that’s been used repeatedly to excellent effect over the years. The best example of this is probably The Smiths, specifically the immortal Strangeways classic “Girlfriend in a Coma”. The evocative juxtaposition is disarming, but also undeniably enjoyable.
Considering that he records everything for the project at home, we’d say the Phantom Sugar frontman is pretty much a law unto himself, and certainly no slacker, despite what the overall vibe of the song might suggest.
Take a listen to “Lola” below.
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Written by Kinda Grizzly
