SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ST. LUCIA – ACOUSTIC VOL. 1

St. Lucia
Acoustic Vol. 1
Columbia Records

On topic with Marie Kondo’s 2019, St. Lucia has truly decluttered and ridden themselves of everything that doesn’t give them joy, and Acoustic Vol.1 takes on a new, raw sound. Acoustic Vol.1 is a 7-track EP made up of songs taken from their 2018 effort, Hyperion, and a couple of older crowd-pleasers including “All Eyes on You” and “Elevate”. Opening with “Elevate”, frontman Jean-Philip Grobler gently pulls the listener into the album with swooping, drawn-out vocals that intertwine with the notes of the keyboard and synth.

Soaked in harmonic love songs like “Next to You” and “Love Somebody”, there is an evident vulnerability to this album. Patt Beranek takes on lead vocals for the first time in “Love Somebody”, showing a delicately feminine side to the band, that is more known for their synth-heavy tropical dance-inducing beats. “Love Somebody” also appears with a Portuguese translation, that sounds all the more romantically fragile. However, acoustic does not mean somber, and St. Lucia understands this. Their cover of The 1975’s hit, “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME”, and “All Eyes on You” carry the familiar energy of the optimistic beats that fans associate with St. Lucia.

Overall, this album won’t make you feel like dancing on glass, as this acoustic strip-back showcases their undeniable talent. Poetic lyrics that are effortlessly lulled over gentle, yet energetic, melodies create their own space on St, Lucia’s discography.

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