By allowing her songs to breathe, leaving space for contemplation, ‘Inner Song’ is a perfectly-arranged album where each track has a part to play: an emotive-yet-euphoric collection that’s made for late-night reflection, Kelly Lee Owens has made one of the most beautiful records of the year.
If Owens’ technical wizardry was enough to put her on a par with her peers from the outset, then it’s the level of emotional intelligence she imbues her work with that makes her the leading light of UK electronic.
If Kelly Lee Owens gently opened the door between dream pop and techno, Inner Song rushes through it and builds a world where ecstatic, curative, untethered electronic sounds abound.
It’s hard not to lavish Owens with praise here, but atop Inner Song’s exceptional track list and an underlying message based around acceptance and healing, Owens uses those experiences to expand into a wider array of exploration and storytelling.
'Inner Song' is an atmospheric journey around peaks and valleys, from ethereal vocals that transcend reality to riotous head-banging ballads that invigorate the senses.
Owen's second album is nonetheless a triumph of soundscapes, an album not meant to analyze and decipher but to daydream, sleepwalk and stargaze through.
Throughout is a sense of wonderment at being alone. Perhaps solitude is an underrated pursuit, but with Inner Song, Owens makes a highly convincing case for it.
By creating an album that speaks to her own experiences in its every nuance, she’s crafted one of the finest subversive pop records of the year.
A mesmerising and spectral sophomore effort, where Owens captures the sweeping landscapes of her inner world.
Inner Song is an uplifting, joyful and charming album that perfectly combines the heady rush of techno with ‘pop’ sensibilities.
On her second album, the Welsh electronic musician leans into both her loops and her lyrics, seeking something spiritual in the act of repetition.
On Inner Song, Owens reaffirms her abilities as a top flight ambient electronic artist and delivers several distinctive, emotionally charged tracks.
Like her debut, Inner Song covers a lot of emotional ground, and her exploratory spirit is just as captivating as the messages she expresses.
Inner Song has an admirably adventurous spirit, but the overall experience is dampened by a lack of consistency.
#2 | / | Loud and Quiet |
#4 | / | Dummy |
#6 | / | NME |
#7 | / | Piccadilly Records |
#8 | / | Drift |
#8 | / | Norman Records |
#9 | / | The Skinny |
#14 | / | Treble |
#16 | / | DIY |
#18 | / | Our Culture |