The aptly-titled new album from Isaiah Mclaughlin emerges after a brief hiatus, reintroducing the boldly recognizable style of an artist delicately blending heartfelt poetic intentions with limitless production and musicianship.
Reanimation brings ethereal depths, rhythms and deeply human contemplations to the forefront, standing tall on the strength of an already established artistry that is known amidst Isaiah’s name and following, and strengthening those qualities with a decidedly pristine, enchanting and eclectic finish.
We begin with the rightfully intriguing, mood-setting Stratosphere, before moving into the haunting tones, distortion and contrasted lightness of Surrender to the Rhythm, and proceed to experience wave-like rises, falls, twists and turns that make up the journey in full.
Self-described as Isaiah’s finest project to date, Reanimation offers an entirely self-made venture – fourteen original tracks, each one intricate and complex by design, yet evocative and creatively unmistakable all at once.
Consider the unique production of Break The Chains, or the subsequent humility and retro fuzz and colour of Carnival – followed by the groove and quirky lyrical images of Jabba – always the Isaiah Mclaughlin voice remains, yet the music provokes and allures in a plethora of different ways.
Conceptually and performance-wise Crucify stands out in a pure, passionate and fascinating manner. The higher-octane pace of Crown also follows on with darkness and hypnotic weight that’s really well-placed.
Like A Bee is another vastly multi-layered highlight, with soulful vocal inflections throughout a varied progression. The interesting details and layers of Sleep also fascinate in line with fearless yet relatable lyrics. Then later to finish, Reanimation adopts a nostalgic dance flavor to explore the underlying inspiration for the album.
Loaded with stories that take some time to unpack, Reanimation promises a wealth of humanity, uncertainty and skill, all united within a swirling chaos of quiet contemplation and bold creativity combined.
Download or stream Reanimation. Find Isaiah Mclaughlin on Facebook & Instagram.
