It’s taken four years and a major lifestyle change, but for lovers of all things lighthearted, Ladyhawke’s Wild Things is worth the wait. Refraining from delving into darkness, singer/songwriter Pip Brown has created a sweet, sun-kissed record.
Love Song is an upbeat anthem with super-soaked synths and infectious lyrics: “You’ve opened my eyes to the oldest tale of time / This is what a love song sounds like”. Led by a feel-good, funky drumbeat, The River is a satisfying sing-along with many repeated na na nas.
The title-track’s minute-long intro allows the twinkly synths and reverberating vocals to softly seep in. Wild Things feels at once like a fresh start and a continuation of Ladyhawke’s 2008 debut. Full of hope and evoking the listener’s participation, it’s a beautiful addition to the Kiwi songwriter’s catalogue.
Chills, Sweet Fascination and Golden Girl are all romance-based, and they’re set in a blissfully optimistic land of love. Matched by incessantly fun percussion and video-game synth sounds, they’re all-round enjoyable tunes. Hillside Avenue is a bouncing tribute to putting the past behind you. Lines like “I had a hard time waking up and the water was closing in” and “I always have to tell myself, you know you have to pull it together” depict Brown’s story of self-actualisation.
Closing with Dangerous, Wild Things is the most well rounded Ladyhawke release to date, which sees Brown in an authentic and charmingly-colourful state of mind.
BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON
