With the recent influx of female vocalists on the scene, it can be hard to decipher whose in it for the long haul. But when you have a mix of songwriter, producer, vocalist, and instrumentalist, you can make a safely bet that Los Angeles’ Low Leaf is settled in and working to perfect her form. She just dropped her debut album titled AKASHAALAY (which means ether in sanskrit) via Portland imprint Fresh Selects, whose roster includes the likes of Mndsgn, Knxwledge, among others. Combining an unbelievably soulful piano with elements of folk and synth, this future-soul effort is sure to capture fans of all of genres. She’s definitely got pipes for the intricate harmonies and emotional delivery, but with L.A. beat scene resident Snorlax on bass and dirty shaker leading the ballad, you can’t help but appreciate the production on the album’s single, Set Me Free, as much as lyrics themselves.
Throughout the rest of the album, Low Leaf shows her confidence, making interesting use of guitars and piano, percussion, and at times abstaining vocally to experiment with synthesizers or even her harp during live performances. The songs feature careful use of digital effects, spacey pads, and an ever-prevalent rhythm section. AKASHAALAY is experimental, fresh, and grabs inspiration from numerous scenes and styles, which have garnered comparisions to Sun Ra and Flying Lotus. She’d be right at home amongst these notable producers. Watch her perform As One for Kinda Neat and get your copy of her album instantly via digital download from Low Leaf’s bandcamp or pre-order the physical cassette!
