Acquainted with Night

Lael Neale's music is introspective, poignant and nostalgic, a warm summer breeze of a carefree past.

In my view, the two main elements that make the album distinctive is her playful voice, a little buried in the mix, like she is a narrator of a vintage, impressionistic film. The second is her masterful lo-fi synth work, rewarding the listener with sweeping, poetic landscapes and gentle touches, intertwined with Neale's descriptive lyrics and spare but purposeful harmonies. Usually these albums tend to become repetitive and tasteless, but in this case the results are impressive. Neale is not afraid of trying new things in each track, alternating between pure introversion and participative arrangements, especially towards the end where choruses are more enriched and upfront.

A lovely debut.