Like most Januaries, music was slow to release this month. It wasn’t until the end of the month that January 29 saw the release of Madlib’s Sound Ancestors and Weezer’s Ok Human. Both of these albums were very fun and interesting (especially the baroque and Beatles-inspired instrumentation of Ok Human), but behind this bigger releases sat Collapsed in Sunbeams by Arlo Parks. This debut album from the UK singer-songwriter beautifully fuses RnB, soul, lofi hip-hop, and pop music to create a poignant reflection on identity. Parks’ lyrics serve as a beacon of hope to help the world emerge from a period of darkness.
Each track on this project has a likable sonic quality. Also, as previously mentioned, this album pulls elements from multiple genres to create a bright and funky soundscape for Parks. A perfect example of this is the groovy “Too Good” that opens with a shiny guitar and multi-tracked vocal layerings from Parks. Then, the bass comes in full of swagger as it transitions the intro into the verse. The drums are snappy and reminiscent of a 90s hip-hop track. If this wasn’t enough to get your head bobbing yet, the chorus explodes with rising organ layers in the background to complete the sunny sound pallet. Other highlights include the dance-hall beat on “Just Go”, the downtrodden bass that swallows “For Violet”, and the swirling pianos that soar across “Caroline”. The production on Collapsed in Sunbeams is bright, bouncy, and full of power.
However, this bright and sparkly production is often deceptive as Arlo dives into some dark topics throughout the album. The fun and catchy bass on “Hurt” hides the dark and depressing tale of alcoholism and isolation. While exploring this somber topic, Arlo’s chorus is a much-needed glimmer of hope and reassurance as she sings: “I know you can’t let go/Of anything at the moment/Just know it won’t hurt so/Won’t hurt so much forever”. Similarly, in the song “Black Dog”, Arlo describes being in a romantic relationship with someone who has clinically-diagnosed depression. The song is hard to stomach as Parks perfectly describes the fear that comes with dealing with someone who is at war with themselves internally. Not only does Parks tackle issues of mental illness and addiction, but also issues of her own sexuality. The song “Green Eyes” describes Parks’ struggle with society not accepting her homosexuality. While this struggle has led to ruined relationships, she sings on the chorus: “Some of these folks wanna make you cry/But you gotta trust how you feel inside/And shine, and shine, yeah, yeah, yeah”. While dealing with dark and scary issues, Parks offers solace and hope through her music to people suffering from these struggles.
The Verdict: For its bright instrumentation and Parks’ poetic reflection of identity and struggles, Collapsed in Sunbeams is January 2021’s Album of the Month.
