Arlo Parks follows up her Mercury Prize winning debut from 2021 with “My Soft Machine” which finds her in a much better place than the pandemic inspired angst of the first album. The songs still deal with anxiety but the album has a much more optimistic tone.
Mixing soul beats and electronic synth driven accompaniment her syrupy vocals blend perfectly to deliver songs about what her twenty something generation is focusing on; love, joy, substance abuse, p.t.s.d., self-sabotage and cake.
A collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers is a highlight as their two dissimilar voices come together in a song about finding love for the first time with the right person in the right place.
With chiming piano, oozing synths, trip hop beats and shoegaze inspired guitar, “My Soft Machine” is a dramatic step forward for a young artist interpreting life through her own lens. Arlo Parks is navigating her way from the bedroom pop sound of her first album to a more open and positive take on life.
