An instant impression is made with the title number, a slick dark pop piece shimmering with a mysterious tone before livening up further in the cool chorus, and the detailed, imaginative lyrics really help it live up to the namesake. Habits slides closer into the rock genre, where we witness a vivid pulse generated through the addition of oh-so-sweet guitar chords and great drum beats, and Lia also amplifies her vocal game as she seeks to escape the trap of a looping spiral keeping her away from independence.
In the next entry Blue Midnight, the pleasing piano keys and synths forge a nice, luminous mood, while a vibe of energy which lingers underneath is still maintained. One Track Way features some good self-reflection on Lia’s behalf, primarily the struggle to break off from the beaten path causing pain and strife, but there’s still hope that this can be accomplished and that positivity will eventually help her towards the brighter future she desires. Although sadly, as stipulated in Novacaine, the wrong misguided sources of inspiration can always set you backwards, and they’re not exactly the easiest of obstacles to overcome.
The 18 year old artist from London wished to prove herself, and quite frankly I think she has, mainly because there’s a definitive maturity in her content in more or less every area: the performing, the writing and the production. Fever Dream is a strong starting point for Lia Rye, I’m confident in her talents and I believe she can go nowhere else but up from here. Her mission to establish a new non-stereotypical image for black artists will not be in vain, I can tell you that much.
SMALL MUSIC SCENE 