A full disclaimer before we get started on this review; I’m not a huge pop connoisseur… there have been a few Katy Perry-esk songs that have snuck their way onto some of my Spotify playlists but for the main part my musical pyramid is built on a rock base. Pun for good measure.
L.O.N.D.O.N by Yasamin is a solid, polished effort which flows effortlessly and flawlessly from song to song. It has a playful aesthetic and a light-hearted bounce to the tempo, venturing between pop, easy listening and folk. It’s always refreshing to hear real instruments on pop recordings and the production here is at a very high standard overall.
At times I feel the instrumentation needs more dynamics, an example of this is the song Signs. In my opinion, this song would be a real standout if the instrumentation had more weight in the chorus sections of the song. That said, it is still a well written and well-performed track.
Yasamin has a soothing, pleasant vocal delivery but there are moments in some songs where I wish the vocals would soar and have a bit more bite. I am left waiting for a powerful, catchy vocal hook but the song seems to keep on moving regardless of what I want. I could put it down to the fact that I am conditioned to a certain style of music and Yasamin exists slightly outside of that format. There is nothing at all wrong with doing things differently and defying standardized expectations and I definitely did not get a sense of predictability as I made my way from track to track.
To summarise, L.O.N.D.O.N is a great album. It’s not a cookie cutter, paint by numbers affair and shows some real honesty and craft. There are some well-penned lyrics and the whole package works. I am looking forward to seeing what is next for Yasamin and which direction she heads in.
- A Jessie James Review
