With the wind in his sails, Goth Babe delivers a masterclass in shimmery, atmospheric pop on debut album Lola.
Goth Babe has made his debut with Lola, a sprawling collection of shimmery pop gems, lo-fi groovers and atmospheric ballads.
Across 11 tracks, the Tennessee-born artist spans the reaches of his sound, scaling the ascendant and cinematic heights of Sun Comes Up to the moody, bedroom-bound depths of Crocodile.
Through it all, Goth Babe maintains the compelling signature of electronic flairs, rhythmic percussion and an ever-buttery vocal range.
There’s a sunlit optimism that courses through Lola, from the summery guitar melodies and twinkling keys of Sadie to the acoustic flairs that carry Insides’ spacey atmospherics.
On the purely-instrumental Orcas, Goth Babe meanders leisurely atop finger-picked strings seemingly ripped from a daydream, while the expansive sci-fi synths of Bioluminescence are every bit as magical as its namesake.
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That standout track also finds Goth Babe at his most poetic, penning evocative portraits of natural beauties like the ocean or the starry night sky.
While he has clearly mastered the sparse yet commanding sound of soft, lo-fi pop — with tape-saturated tones, moving melodies and a tangible intimacy — the lyricism regularly pulls focus.
On the WATTS-assisted Backwards, the musician looks back fondly on a relationship that has since left him heartbroken, singing of “all the times we spent running backwards.”
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There’s moments of joy, too. On the euphoric Spinnaker Days, Goth Babe envisions “sailing south for days” with his lover alongside chopped vocal riffs and glittery instrumentation.
The nautical themes of Lola are intentional not just in terms of the skybound, seafaring atmosphere, but on a personal level — since the album bears the same name as the yacht Goth Babe sailed on throughout much of 2023.
What all of it amounts to is an artist at the helm of his own sound, brimming with confidence and a sonic optimism that’s altogether infectious. That Lola marks Goth Babe’s first-ever full-length project is just the cherry on top.
Listen to Goth Babe below.
