Album Review: Beams

Anna Coddington returns with her fourth album Beams – a collection of personal and emotive indie pop songs. Produced by Kiwi duo LIPS (Steph Brown and Fen Ikner), Beams is Coddington’s most personal piece of work to date, touching on themes of identity, self-reflection and Coddington’s place in the world as a woman, Maori and a mother.

Four years on from her previous album Luck/Time, the 10 tracks that make up Beams are a stark contrast from her previous release. While Luck/Time featured somewhat more polished production, Beams succeeds in being more brutally honest and raw in its song writing, managing to be a more cohesive collection of songs than its predecessor.

Slick, fresh production from LIPS give the album a modern edge. A mix of upbeat, delightful pop tunes (The Saint (with stains), Both Ways), slow burning, moodier tracks (Dive, Magnesium and Coffee), as well as edgier tracks (Do I Exist?, We See You), Beams really does have something for everyone and showcases Coddington’s strong song writing abilities.

My personal favourites include title track Beams, with Louis Baker’s vocals being the perfect accompaniment to Coddington’s sweet tones. The opening track The Saint (with stains) with its tinkling piano is the perfect introduction to Beams, and the closing track Remember Me is a sweet, reflective tune and the best way to finish what is a beautiful album.

Beams is a triumph and cements Coddington as a solid song writer. The perfect album to accompany a classic Kiwi summer, I highly recommend giving it a listen.