L’Rain’s “birthday” is not a straightforward celebration. She moves from loneliness to a plea for self-love amidst a sultry ambiance. With lush mellow keys and a patient minimalistic rhythm, “birthday” has an allure reminiscent of classic R&B slow jams. L’Rain’s soulful tone meets the moment perfectly, and a swell of stunning choir-esque vocals creates a gorgeous finish. It’s new ground for L’Rain, and is also one of her best songs. fata morgana (Mexican Summer, 2026) continues the L’Rain trend of not being tied to any trend in particular.
The haunting beauty of “with time” immediately makes it clear that the multi-instrumentalist is uninterested in retreading old ground. Centered around an enigmatic piano, “with time” captures the eerie lucidity of an emotional rupture. A buoyant hook makes the luminous “elmyra” just as impactful in conveying a completely different headspace. The combination of radiant keys and ethereal singing is an aural burst of sunlight.
L’Rain’s sonic range is pushed to extreme heights when the serene “elmyra” is followed by an explosion of frustration in “soulless cycle.” The song revolves with the force of a machine gun with spectral vocals and relentless thrashing guitars and drums. It’s the heaviest L’Rain song by far, and somehow it’s not the most surprising part of the album. “July 5th” earns that honor with an unpredictable shift from folky psychedelia to a jubilant dancehall finish.
How “July 5th” deftly changes into a completely different style is a microcosm for fata morgana as a whole. The album is unbound by genre and rounded out by tastefully placed short tracks that provide interesting transitions between its distinct soundscapes. fata morgana is an idiosyncratic journey that is excellent from front to back. The strongest record thus far of a superb discography.
‘fata morgana’ is out now. It can be purchased on Bandcamp.
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