As Lala Lala, American singer-songwriter Lillie West creates wavy indie rock. Her previous album, 2018’s ‘The Lamb’ couples introspective lyrics with elements of postpunk, and garnered lovely critiques from hip blogs like Pitchfork, The 405 and Loud & Quiet. For follow-up ‘I Want The Door To Open’ (8/10 Hardly Art) West decided on a new approach and sound.

The results were impressive, and ‘I Want The Door To Open’ could prove to be a serious step forward for Lala Lala. With the addition of tasteful synths and electronics, tiny touches of jazz and guest appearances by OHMME and Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service) among others, West adds depth to her usual sound pallet of bass, drum and guitars. Everything was allowed to be grander, with the end goal being a record that’s less a report of personal struggle and more of a piece of poetry or a puzzle.

But beyond all that, it’s Lala Lala’s impressive songwriting that grabs the attention, with her ear for melodies and hooks that nestle straight into your head, her captivating writing and her balanced arrangements all standing out. Lala Lala: a tune for the future. Breaking Waves!