Labrinth delivers a flawed but exciting sophomore album
By Kyle Henderson
Labrinth has had quite the year. He composed the score for the HBO’s breakout summer hit Euphoria (read the review for that here), continued his collaborative work with Sia and Diplo in their music supergroup LSD, and now he has released his sophomore album, Imagination & The Misfit Kid. If you don’t know who he is, you’re certain to soon enough.
Labrinth is truly, as the album implies, a misfit kid. He doesn’t subscribe to just one style or genre. His music is a little bit of electronic, a little bit of rap, a little funk, a little R&B. There’s something for everyone within his music. He expertly fuses organic instruments with electronic sounds, curating a unique style that is all his own.
This fusion, however, also poses issues on the album. From one song to another, the sounds and moods vary; While this is helpful in showing listeners Labrinth’s variety of styles, the mood transitions can feel harsh at times.
However, what the album lacks in consistent tone, is made up for in the story told. Labrinth sings of his rise in the industry with his vivid imagination, detailing the highs and lows that his journey comes with.
The album opens with “Imagination,” a soft and delicate track that juxtaposes the bold electronics heard later in the album. Labrinth shares his wildest dreams and the freedom he is granted within them, singing: “As the sun lopsided and the birds fly sideways / And I shake the sky with a heavenly smile on my face / And I draw up Picassos and I spray paint Banksys / And we live on L-O-V-E like it was our salaries.” It is a great introduction for listeners into the wild imagination of Labrinth.
The next song, “Misbehaving,” dives headfirst into the bombastic electronic sounds that make up the album. The song itself has a major tonal switch from the previous one, and even this one keeps listeners on their toes with its rapid changes in sound.
“Dotted Line/Juju Man” is one of my personal favorites. Labrinth sings from the perspective of a greedy music executive pressuring an artist to sign with them. He embodies this character perfectly, with manipulative lyrics such as, “Ain't you got a family to feed? / Ain't you got a momma to please?”
This is followed by “All For Us,” Labrinth’s collaboration with Zendaya for Euphoria. Their vocals mesh beautifully together, and the backing gospel choir helps it stand out among the many strong songs.
“Where The Wild Things Are” details Labrinth’s hazy new life as a celebrity. He narrates his wild nights with friends and his new and improved status, singing, “We made some friends that night / There was rum, red wine, there was Jameson's / Taking no prisoners, right? / Yeah, we own the sky like spaceships.” This song is definitely the boldest on the album in regards to the varying musical elements used. One moment, we hear a calming piano instrumental backing Labrinth’s soothing vocals; the next, the bass drop kicks the intensity into high gear with a plethora of electronic elements and Labrinth’s autotuned voice. I do like the song, but the musical switches did feel unexpected and jarring during my first listen.
“Oblivion” is the final track, and it features Sia, someone who Labrinth has collaborated with in the past with their group LSD. The two of them have made great tracks before, and this one is no different. The track shows the darker side of Labrinth’s wild imagination, and illustrates some of the internal struggles he deals with, singing,“I wanna be, be in oblivion / Don't wanna live like this / Need something to knock me out / Don't wanna feel.”
It’s clear that there’s no sophomore slump for Labrinth, and it just caps off what has already been a fantastic year for him. As he sings on “Mount Everest”, “You could touch the sky but you ain't got shit on me / 'Cause I'm on top of the world / I'm on top of the world, yeah” While the album comes with its flaws, it paints a clear picture of an artist who is truly coming into his own and destined for great success ahead.
Listen to the full album here.