It’s been a while since I have written about Lois Leon on here. Last time out was February, and the excellent What Do I, which totally surprised me (and still does) by how far it burrowed into my brain. Anyway, here we are in November and yesterday saw the release of her third single of the year, Slow Motion, and its accompanying Canvey Island-set video, which if I have done this right should be embedded somewhere below.

Lois’ stuff has a distinct sound that heavily draws on the golden period of ’90s alternative British music. I mean, not exclusively British, but certainly a fair few of the acts that get sloppily tarred with the britpop brush. Sleeper, Echobelly, Elastica, Lush. The good stuff, essentially. Anyway, it’s all in the mix here, with a kind of unexpected Charlatans vibe thrown in for good measure too. There’s something so glorious/ridiculous about the big three-note guitar riff that drops into the verses that is irresistible… like it’s fallen out of a cowboy soundtrack and landed facedown in the wrong song, and everything is all the better for it.

The real joy is in the choruses though, which sweep in and bludgeon you… but it’s okay, it’s a sweet bludgeoning, so you happily let them do it again and again. As with previous tracks, there’s a real (and refreshing) simplicity in Slow Motion that catches you off guard. Maybe it’s just me, but the first time I heard this I thought I knew where it was going, but then Lois’ melodies kind of push and pull and go to places that you don’t expect. Though it’s dialled back a bit in comparison to her last single, there’s still more than a hint of melancholia bubbling away under the surface here, along with a kind of effortlessness that is anything but. Again, like What Do I, it’s all about that outro too. As a writer, she knows the power of a good hook and is not averse to using it whenever the chance arises.

TL;DR: Slow Motion is great, and it’s apt that a song about slowing down and appreciating the small things demands repeated listens. Chances are it’ll stick around in your head for a while.

Although no stranger to performing solo, Lois is playing a debut show with her full band at Chinnerys in Southend on Sea on December 7th. You can get tickets here. Anything else you may need to know can probably be found over on her Linktree.