L CON is the artistic name for Lisa Conway’s avant-pop project. This Toronto-based (but Swiss native) songwriter, producer, and composer has been working for over a decade on loads of compositions and songs. But only now, after being selected as one of Red Bull Music Academy acts, she is showcasing her full potential.
There Was A Glow introduced us to her. It would be difficult not to state the obvious when exposed to it. The vocals are overwhelmingly good. And the song flows in our ears and soul, easily and happily. It is perhaps difficult to establish comparisons between L CON and other acts. Maybe a bit Feist, but just maybe. There Was A Glow is vocally-guided and transcendent. The acoustic-like elements and the (only) apparent simplicity in the composition works perfectly for any purpose or context. And even the saxophone is integrated in a way it sounds more like a bass guitar. Everything is so well-built, so very well worked around… And when we think we have figured it out, there is a chorus that leaves us almost breathless. Expect to fall in love with this:
Maybe those Feist similarities are more evident in Try, another single released along There Was A Glow. With an even more minimalistic instrumental approach, Try is the perfect showcase of how perfect L CON vocals sound. But is also another beautiful exercise of soft evolution on a melody.
Songs like The Art of Staying Tough and You Were Right released one and two months ago also serve as a further testimonial of her brilliance. The first sounds a bit more Anthony and the Johnsons and is both touching, crystal-clear beautiful, and magical. And once again supported by fully accomplished mesmerizing vocals. The second is more experimental and electronic, ever surprising or unpredictable. Even quite danceable. L CON repertoire is diverse and uncommon. And that is so refreshing nowadays…
All these songs (and some notable others) are put together in one of the most surprising 2018 albums. Entitled Insecurities in Being and released past May and counts with the collaboration of Andrew Collins, Karen Ng, and Johnny Merritt. Songs are diverse and overwhelmingly distinct, but every single one sounds like a product of years.
“I genuinely wasn’t sure I had any songs in me anymore, so I set out to make a low-key instrumental EP – I wanted to try and fall in love with making things again. But some of those sonic explorations started to evolve and demand vocal melodies. I gave in. ”
This is an album that deserves every single listen it gets. Hoping to see her live soon, we will keep on hanging on to it tight.
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