Tag Archives: Elektra Kilbey

SAY LOU LOU-Luicd Dreaming

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I feel as if I’ve been waiting decades to finally write about Say Lou Lou’s debut record. I’ve been a fan from when they were called Saint Lou Lou and I probably annoyed everyone to high heaven by banging on about their song Maybe You. I had no idea what their sound would turn into from hearing Maybe You and Julian. They have this wonderful way of being a pop band but with non conventional means. They are dark, atmospheric, open and easy to relate to. I’ve spent my time listening to Lucid Dreaming by making notes, I’ve never really done this before but they evoke so much it was hard to keep track. It’s a record you instantly fall in love with, and I’m happy that the world can finally hear what Elektra and Miranda have been creating, in full.

The record starts with Everything We Touch, the perfect way to starter.  That song is a gentle dance tune that makes you feel good. Lucid Dreaming is a heartbreaker of a record, it is for those who have hurt, who will hurt (either get hurt or cause it) and are hurt. It’s painful but there are moments that are full of hope, love and free of pain. You cling to it all, in the hopes of it one day being your safety net.

Glitter feels like it should be a single, and to hear it live will be a truly magical part of the set. It’s got a camp 80s feel to it, sometimes I don’t want that but Say Lou Lou have made this glamorous and fabulous song that takes all the best elements of pop music, and make it their own. Can we start an online petition to make this a single? It’s got proper attitude to it, and would come alive at night-time in sordid night clubs as you make your way home on a damp and lonely Saturday night. Where Glitter sounds like an 80s pop tune, Games For Girls sounds like a 90s pop gem. It doesn’t sound like the others, it doesn’t have that dark feel to it but it fits so perfectly on the record.

When Julian appears it is like putting on your favourite item of clothing. It is safe and familiar, and I think for anyone just getting into the band this may be the song they latch onto. I still do and I’ve been a fan for some time. In some ways I’m glad Maybe You isn’t on here because I wouldn’t be able to let that song go and love the rest. But at the same time, I really miss the song. It should be on there, but that’s because I’ve got way too much sentimental value attached to it. And maybe I should learn to let it go. I’m learning.

Angels (Above Me) is one I’ll probably keep coming back to when it feels like something is missing from general life. It is the most “human” song on the record. I wish I could explain what I mean, but I really can’t. All I know is there is something really fragile about that song, Miranda and Elektra aren’t afraid to expose all those ugly yet passionate feelings we have. They do it in a way that makes you feel less ashamed and able to pull through whatever it may be. For me it is one of the most atmospheric songs on the record and their vocals truly shine on this song.

Peppermint and Beloved are THE most heartbreaking songs on the record, and they make you wish it never happens to you. Of course it will, you cannot escape that. Beloved posses one of the most honest lines I’ve heard, “Love is a facade for hate.” It just stays with you, it’ll haunt you and you’ll question yourself should you fall in love, or lust even. Peppermint is a break-up song that makes you wish the bad will pass. It’s that first stage of a break-up where you try to process it, and you will. Eventually. And when you do, you’ll find another song on Lucid Dreaming to connect with which I’ll mention shortly.

Hard For A Man is possibly my favourite. The whole record makes me thing of a time I’ve done well so far with ignoring/forgetting, and I can remember it all now with none of it touching me thankfully ha. Hard For A Man is so easy to relate to, and I don’t mean from the singer’s perspective. For me, I can relate to the person they are singing about. That kind of trouble stays with you but you can hide it so it doesn’t rub off on anyone else. We cling to the bad because we never expect good things to happen or last, but they do. They really really do, and it’s best thing when you stop being awkward about it. It is such a vulnerable song, and it encourages you to let go, to stop holding onto whatever it is that’s making you a monster or whatever is scaring you. I love the line, “I’ll be as gentle as I can.” It’s a real unconventional love song, and they are the best kind.

Wilder Than The Wind is the one song that takes you to a time of year rather than a place or moment. It makes you feel as if you’re in the depths of winter. Cold and alone, and this song is your safety net. It fits in perfectly and easily with the underlying romantic tone of the record. It gives you the guts to escape all that’s making you miserable- whether it be a city, a job, a person, a situation. It just gives you that kick you need.

Nothing But A Heartbeat is the aftermath of Peppermint. It’s that realisation that you’ll be alright and you don’t need much, if anything to get by. You can have nothing left of your former self but you’ll rebuild what another destroyed with no problem at all. If you want to escape that “Why me?!” feeling, head straight for Nothing But A Heartbeat and you’ll be fine.

The record ends with Skylights. I’m fairly sure they played this when I saw them at Concrete in 2013 I think?! It’s the perfect song to end this gorgeous record on. The drums are big on this. So bold and loud, the song fills you with hope and the urge to just carry on. Because with all the fuck-ups we cause and fall into, you just have to. Some part of you that died comes back to life, and this is what Skylights does. It just has to be in their live set, and should be what they end on.

As Say Lou Lou are a band I’ve loved from the start, I am so so proud of the song they have created and so proud of what they’ve done on their debut. Lucid Dreaming feels like the soundtrack to a black and white foreign film. Foreign films have way more class and elegance about them, and in some parts Lucid Dreaming feels like the broken woman falling for the troubled man who is unattainable, and she realises this when he doesn’t walk her home after they go for dinner. No weekends away, just brief moments that aren’t long enough but are still meaningful.

Lucid Dreaming is the best pop record you’ll hear this year, and what makes it stand out is that it goes against that overproduced and too sweet pop you hear on the radio right now. They grab and squash the idea of what mainstream pop should sound like. Lucid Dreaming is dark, tormented, romantic and hopeful. The best people are and the best records are too.

Say Lou Lou are playing Heaven (London) on 8th April and Lucid Dreaming is out next Monday.

 

SAY LOU LOU-Everything We Touch.

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I first wrote about Say Lou Lou in the middle of 2012. I had heard Maybe You (when they were called Saint Lou Lou.) I found it by accident; I probably couldn’t sleep one night and just became obsessed with the song. I had the song on repeat for days. Their music does that to you. Every single time they put a new song out, I play it on repeat for days.

I saw them live at Concrete in London this year, and I remember them doing Everything We Touch. It instantly felt like a “Summer hit.” There is something about their sound which is just breathtakingly beautiful. As people, they are utterly striking- so is their sound. They have this stunning ability to leave you in awe with every song they have put out. After  heard Maybe You, I became obsessed with the Sweetness Alive song they did with Good Night Keaton.

Everything We Touch was made for the Summer. I’m pretty sure Say Lou Lou were put here to give us songs like this, to make us feel this way regardless of the season. Their music is like dusk approaching on a warm evening. Your shadow fades and everything around you becomes hazy. It’s the best part of the day; it’s my favourite part of the day. Everything We Touch truly captivates dusk hitting. This song requires your best carefree dance moves.

Say Lou Lou are the band you listen to you when you’re driving around with your loved one (maybe don’t play Fool Of Me or Beloved to them; they might get the wrong idea!) Their music just heightens your emotions and makes you forget all of your troubles. As I listen to Everything We Touch, I sort of don’t feel entirely shit and worthless for not having a job.

With a handful of gorgeous songs already been put out there, I’m fairly sure I am now not the only one who is desperate to hear their debut record.

You can listen to Everything We Touch here: https://soundcloud.com/sayloulou/everything-we-touch

SAY LOU LOU. Concrete, London. 13th November 2013.

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So yesterday, I finally..FINALLY saw Say Lou Lou. When I saw they were playing London the day after my birthday, I knew I had to see them. I didn’t care that getting home would be a pain in various areas. I just HAD to see them. They immediately became an important band to me from when I first heard Maybe You ages ago, when they were known as Saint Lou Lou. I played Maybe You to death. I was (and still am) obsessed with. I love their single with Goodnight Keaton (Sweetness Alive.) Fool Of Me (with Chet Faker) is the perfect tale of when love takes a turn for the worst. Their sound is dramatic yet soothing. Can a band who don’t even have a full length record out yet convey all these feelings live? Basically, yes. YES.

Just before Say Lou Lou took to the stage a young chap just behind me kept yelling his love for the band and how excited he was. I firmly understood his love and excitement, but I’m not someone who likes to shout my feelings out to a bunch of strangers in a basement bar. Of course he did this numerous times when Say Lou Lou were on stage, and of course you did have someone yell back “Shut up, you’re embarrassing yourself.” Hey East Londoners, lighten the hell up! This person was having a good time and he was really happy to be there. You stand with your stone faced expressions and folded arms just wishing you could allow yourself to feel a fragment of joy. Maybe his yelling annoyed the band, but he was having a nice time. They felt the love, we all did.

Say Lou Lou played some new songs, and I think one of them was called Sky Lights..or Lines. I could be wrong. Regardless of what the song is called, it is bloody brilliant. Their sounds echo beautifully in this gorgeous venue; it was made for bands like Say Lou Lou. Better In The Dark sounds like a cult anthem for misfits who have their own vision of what love and lust is. Beloved breaks my heart instantly. The song is so painfully true, and one point in your life you will have related to the song. A release seems to ripple through the crowd from the band as they sing this song. Beloved is dark but has an essence of purity to it which is what makes Say Lou Lou so brilliant. They aren’t afraid to show a vulnerable side to love and such things. Beloved contains a line that is probably one of the most honest lyrics I’ve heard in a long long time, “Love is a facade for hate.” Goes right through you.

As they sing Julian any piece of you that is dented has been mended. You want to be the Julian that they are singing about. You feel as if you’ve been saved, briefly. Carry that feeling home with you. The drums on Julian are magnificent. The drums feel like your heartbeat becoming more steady and secure; Julian after seeing it live, somehow managed to mean more to me. Of course they play their cover of Tame Impala’s Feels Like We Only Go Backwards which is undeniably ethereal and wholeheartedly perfect. You feel that, whenever you feel hopeless, their version of this song will make you feel less of a coward for feeling so low. But surely you’re not a coward if you can admit to feeling low? I have no idea.

Fool Of Me sounded haunting and sinister. You could feel a wealth of hurt pour out of Elektra and Miranda. Elektra sang Chet Faker’s part, and this added the eerie tone to the song. Again, the drums on this add such a dramatic feel to the song. They emphasise the demanding nature song, how dare one person make another feel like that. We’ve all done it and we’ve all had it done to us.

Elektra and Miranda don’t speak too much to the crowd, but their smiles let it be known that they are in awe of what they’ve accomplished and how much they mean to their fans. The honesty in their music is what the fans really connect with. The dark atmosphere and honest lyrics just makes them stand out above the rest. They aren’t afraid to be so open with their feelings and to create such beautiful yet sometimes sad songs. The sad songs are the ones that our heart remembers. To heal, to hold and to treasure.

Say Lou Lou end their set, of course, with Maybe You. I can’t really put into eloquent and coherent words as to what this song means to me. Just know, it means a hell of a lot. And to finally see it live felt good. When you get to witness the song that introduced you to a band that is important to you, it just evokes a lot of emotion that words simply aren’t enough for.

After seeing them live, I really really cannot wait for their debut record. I was in awe of how brilliant they are live. I knew they’d be bloody good anyway, and maybe it is the fact they are twins and do have a deeper connection than most. Whatever it is, it was just an honour to watch and to be part of something that will be remembered for a long time (I’ve got a shit memory, but I’ll remember this night for sure.) Their sad songs soothe the soul and mend you. To have this kind if presence without even having a full length record out is evidently a sign that Say Lou Lou are going to just blow us all away when the record arrives.

Live or on record, Say Lou Lou have a presence that cannot be compared to. They are enigmatic and hypnotic to watch. Their music swirls around your heart giving you room to feel something you have never felt before.

SAY LOU LOU-Julian (video.)

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My favourite twins (I don’t have a list of favourite twins, I just really love Say Lou Lou) have released the video to their new single, Julian.

Last night when I was on the long journey back from seeing Dirty Beaches, I listened to Julian on repeat. It made this lengthy tube journey less boring. I took in the dark sky that was fluttered with street lights. Everything seemed beautiful. This song is beautiful, and the video brings out the pain that is in the song and also the vulnerability in it. It’s a stunning love song. The video shows the song in a different light, but by no means does it take away the sentimental value of the song. It’s equally as gorgeous as the song.

 

SAY LOU LOU-Julian/Fool Of Me.

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My obsession with my favourite twins has catapulted. This is delayed. So very delayed. I think it’s because I am still hooked on Maybe You. Part of me didn’t want to let that song go. I didn’t want to love another song as much as I loved Maybe You, maybe I couldn’t.

Turns out I could. Turns out I can. And I do.

I’ll start with the B-side to Julian first. Fool Of Me features the insanely talented Chet Faker (listen to his music if you don’t know.) Fool of Me is incredibly haunting and so beautifully melancholic. It has such sadness to it that just causes your heart to ache and break; even if you feel perfectly fine. I think this is why I adore Say Lou Lou. They manage to make such beautiful music, but it contains so much sadness. I remember when I first heard Maybe You and it was the sheer delicate tones of the music that got me hooked. Fool Of Me has done exactly the same. Fool Of Me touches on the painful aspect of love, something that may or may not happen to us all. If it’s happening to you, then this song is going to rip you apart. Say Lou Lou’s vocals on this is just..I just wish there was a word to describe it. I don’t think there is a word good enough. The pleading the pours out in the lyrics is so gorgeously heart-breaking, you cannot help but feel some sort of attachment. Or maybe that’s because I am far too sentimental for my own good. The last-minute of the song feels like some kind of awakening; as if you were waiting for this moment. With their delicate voices and Chet’s handsome vocals, Fool Of Me is just divine. As sad as it is, it is easily one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a long time. The pain that is in the words that Say Lou Lou sing is enough to break the hardest of hearts. As you listen to the song, you realise that no one else but Chet could feature on this song. Sometimes the saddest of songs are the best ones.

The single, Julian is nothing like Fool Of Me. Julian is pure devotion to the one you love. Doing all you can to get the one person you love to you. Mending their heart and getting them across the border. That is true love. What I adore about Say Lou Lou is how they are so delicate with their music. The lyrics are full of care, and even when about pain- still full of love. It is like they could never be mad at anyone because they love them so much. I think we all strive to be like that, but I suppose at times it could be hard. I’m far too soft, so I wouldn’t know. All I know is that Say Lou Lou are the epitome of being in love. Their music just pours out love. Their music makes you feel like you are in love, even if you’re not. There is something about Say Lou Lou that makes them so sacred. Listening to them is a pure experience, but sacred at the same time. This is how I felt when I first heard Warpaint. Say Lou Lou have a dainty vibe about them; you must listen to them with the utmost care. Say Lou Lou will get you through any trails and trauma you may face. It is almost as if they fill you with reassurance. You may feel utterly dishevelled but they manage to make you feel alright.

Both songs have the capability to reduce the listener to tears for different reasons. Fool Of Me, because it reminds you of a pain you once felt. Julian, because it reminds you of the one you love and all you want to do is love and protect them for the rest of your life. Say Lou Lou are a stunning duo, and because they are twins they have a bond that is stronger than most. I’ve yet to see them live but I reckon they’d just leave you in awe; more than they do on record. I still stand by they are one of the best new bands around. I think I declared that when I heard Maybe You. I’m not easily swayed, so I am sticking with this.