Lia Ices recently released her third album and based on the title it seems she is attempting to create a brand for herself. Gaining only a little recognition for her work in the past, Ices is an artist that deserves to be heard.
Although I would not say Ices makes you want to jump up and dance, it certainly makes you move with a sway that belongs with such free music. In Ices, Lia Ices creates an album that is easy on the ear. With each track skillfully layered as soft rhythms atop beats, there is a beautiful subtlety in the transitions from song to song.
Highlights are found mostly in the beginning of Ices. “Tell Me” has a kooky swing that I could not help but fall in love with. This track leads into “Thousand Eyes” and “Higher” which keep the zany sound alive. From there the album slows down quite a bit and proves more difficult to stick with.
The second half of the album simply seems dim in comparison to the unique sound of her first few tracks. This is not to say that the later tracks are unlistenable, they just seem to fall back into the artist’s comfort zone. These songs might lead a listener into more of a slumber, especially when they reach “Waves,” a closing song with a length of seven minutes.
The changes that appear in her sound seem to reflect her own move from upstate New York to Northern California. In this album Lia Ices has expanded her musical pallet and shown that she is ready to make a lasting impression.
While I’m not head over heels in love with Ices in particular due its lack of surprises, I have fallen for Lia Ices. I plan to keep her in mind in the future as she releases more music that is hopefully a little less safe.
Rating: B-
