Light up the Dark Album Review

Release Date: 18^th September 2015

Published by Parlophone Records

Gabrielle Aplin’s latest album is a progressive one in many ways, one that moves into new territory while downplaying the subdued style of her first studio album. After a two year gap, the young artist has entered the realm of indie pop and neo soul with successful results.

Since her small beginnings doing covers on YouTube, Aplin has risen to a great deal of fame in the UK, her soothing voice delivering a slower and more methodical style that satisfied those looking for more mellow compositions. This was especially prevalent in her debut album, English Rain, which was certified gold after selling 100,000 copies. Released in May 2013, Gabrielle Aplin homed in on folk and pop pieces to start off her career with songs such as Salvation, Home and Panic Cord all proving to be very popular amongst a general audience.

Light up the Dark, which Aplin produced alongside fellow British producer Luke Potashnick is far more upbeat and soulful than anything she has done before. It also boasts a very jazzy look and style, with a black and white filter applied to both the art work and several music videos. There’s a greater emphasis on guitar riffs alongside a more lively use of the piano. The primary singles on the album; Sweet Nothing and the titular Light up the Dark are incredibly energetic pieces that are sure to strike a chord with general audiences as well as fans of the indie scene. Overall, it’s a strong step up from the simpler tunes that Aplin has stuck with over the past few years.

The more peaceful and lyric based style hasn’t been abandoned completely in Light up the Dark, as shown by the likes of Heavy Heart and The House we never built, but Aplin builds upon what came before with the addition of more instruments such as percussion and a light touch of drums, as well as stretching her vocals further with higher notes. The one caveat to the album is that there’s little in the way of emotive, sombre tracks that were so widely enjoyed in the previous album.

Ultimately Light up the Dark may not fully entice those who found themselves drawn to Aplin at the start, but it shows that she is willing to grow and expand as an artist.

Rating: B