Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation

A genuinely unique debut

Eerie, reverb-drenched vocals convey lyrics concerned with a life of anxiety and the awkward emotions experienced by Trevor Powers (yes, I’d have gone for a stage name too) in his twenty-two years on this planet. Its lo-fi ethos and confessional tone could have been its undoing, but the twinkling naivety crossed with unchecked ambition leads to some true hairs-on-back-of-the-neck moments. ‘Daydream’ is the album’s carefree pop moment, almost surpassing the out and out highlight ‘July’, which builds into a wailing crescendo of passion. His voice is something of an acquired taste but, this minor caveat aside, ‘The Year Of Hibernation’ is a genuinely unique debut.

7/10

Words by GARETH JAMES

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