Sometimes, I have a really hard time relating to nepo baby music. It can be difficult to empathize with a song about emotional struggle and strife when it comes from someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I can make an exception for Lala Lala though. Yes, Lillie West’s dad directed Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and the iconic music video to Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” However, it’s undeniable that after cutting her teeth in the Chicago indie scene, West’s recent years of wayfaring through Taos (New Mexico), Iceland, London and L.A. have made for an intriguing fifth studio album, Heaven 2 — even if her lineage is responsible for the Rickroll.
Heaven 2 accomplishes a lot in just 33 minutes and captures the complicated self-discovery arc of West as a millennial making peace with existence. The album's beginning and end harken back to the cinematic indie-electronic pop of the 2010s — think CHVRCHES, Grimes or even certain Flume or ODESZA features — while its middle is a bit more loose and experimental, like Kraftwerk or Imogen Heap.
The album starts off with a timely message, as West utters “Get me out of America / Something in the water makes me sick,” in her nonchalant vocal styling. The chaotic piano backing on that opening track, “Car Anymore,” builds dramatically with the layering of percussion and brass all the way up to “Give me one last chance, America / Everyone knows I’m insane.”
The second song, “Even Mountains Erode,” was one of my favorites on the record. Slacker pop drums support West’s desire to leave her past behind in a way that reminded me of the optimistic indie of the 2010s. That energy shines through on the next track, “Arrow,” which samples “Pasadena” by French band La Femme. West’s eclectic interpretive dancing in the “Arrow” music video reminds me of what I was doing behind closed doors to similar music 10-plus years ago.
The next two songs, “Tricks” and “Scammer,” were a bit more avant-garde, which I absolutely appreciate at times, but here killed the vibe for me. These songs aren’t bad, and both have strong moments, but they might be better suited to a record that’s more ambient than Heaven 2.
The most poignant line on the record opens the title track: “Heaven is a moment / Hell is a life.” Her processed vocals got me feeling like downloading some Imogen Heap for the drive home. It's also the longest track on the album, which, on an album this tight, drew it out just a tad too long for me. I was relieved when the next track picked up the pace, and that momentum continued through the rest of the record.
If you've been listening to Studio One lately you'll have been enjoying a later high point of the album, “Does This Go Faster?” This number is an obvious choice for a focus track. It has less of the electronic sound that other songs have but has just as much existentialism in the lyrics. It's an interesting and quick-moving track, with pessimistic lyrics and West’s deadpan vocal delivery offset by the upbeat indie pop instrumentation. The dichotomy of much of this album makes it a fun listen.
The second-to-last track, “This City,” continues the restless millennial pop theme of the record while the closer, “Wyoming Dirt,” imparts an atmospheric, solemn resolution. West wraps up the album implying that she's at peace with the ephemerality of life and love, which is surely inspired by her life off the grid in Taos and her time soaking in the stark landscape of Seyðisfjörður, Iceland.
Even though many of us aren't able to leave our lives behind like a nepo baby can, conflicted, sentimental feelings about our fleeting, ever-changing existence is quite universal. And plenty of us love music that brings us back to that 2010s indie pop optimism, especially if it’s a quick listen. Lala Lala’s continued electronic focus is welcome direction for her already notable discography.
