Ari Leff, known better professionally as Lauv, recently surprised fans with a brand new EP entitled Without You. Written and produced during quarantine, this four-track project was a welcome surprise to fans after he released his debut album ~how i’m feeling right now~ earlier this year in March.
I was expecting maybe something a little different, but none of the music sounds any different than Lauv’s already established sound of stripped down electronic pop. The songs are good, but the majority of them never really stood out to me and came across as monotonous. I can’t count the amount of times I had to look down at my phone as I was listening to see if the song had changed.
That being said, I do enjoy Lauv’s music overall, and I think that the lyrics on the EP are really good even if each song does blend together. Lyrically, his songs are always emotional and real, almost like you get to have a sneak peek in his journal. “Every time I think I love somebody, always find a way to throw it all away” he sings in the chorus of “Love Somebody.”
The best track on the album is “Mine (You Can’t Find Love in Mollywood).” More upbeat than the other three, Lauv sings about getting his heart broken by someone who played him like their favorite song. The quick beats in the background sound summery and keep the song flowing as it builds up. Lyrics like “No you can’t find love when you’re searching for better” give listeners an in-depth look at the situation and make Lauv more relatable as an artist.
Along with the four tracks, Lauv also released a music video to the first song, “Dishes,” which looks pretty professional despite being filmed entirely in a kitchen. As for quarantine music videos, I was glad to see a change from fans sending in videos to be featured and other video call elements being prominently featured.
If you want to see more of what Lauv is up to during the pandemic, check out his new podcast entitled “breaking modern loneliness,” which is an open conversation about all things human relationships, mental health and technology with guests such as Jeremy Zucker and mxmtoon. Lauv also released a series of EPs on streaming services which bundle some of his older songs together.