Yazmin Lacey is east London-raised but began making music from her living room after a move to Nottingham. Since 2017 she has released three EPs, and the title track of the last one, 2020’s Morning Matters, is a standout, saxophone-heavy ode to a new day. Her debut album, Voice Notes, produced by Dave Okumu, is an escapist, feelgood project that overflows with great storytelling. It offers introspective soliloquies, with lyrics derived from voice notes, memos and reminders journalled on her phone.
The fun and glittery Late Night People embodies the dreaming essence of the album. Bad Company, a song about a frenemy called Priscilla, is full of refreshingly real humour: “Woke with a demon on my shoulder. She’s smoking all my weed. Before we went to shoot she told me she’s much prettier than me.” The funk and psychedelic soul track Sign and Signal is an enthralling trip through layered sonics, while Lacey’s leisurely tone on Tomorrow’s Child’s dub beat shows versatility. Voice Notes is conceptually and musically accomplished, flourishing with inspired narratives and sensuality at every turn. It seamlessly blends jazz, soul and electronica without overpowering the singer-songwriter’s supple vocals. There’s so much to love and savour.
