Tara Lily - Quiet Nights, Early Takes (Tru-Thoughts) [Dream-Pop]

Being a London girl with British-Bengali roots ensured that Tara Lily soaked up a myriad of music influences growing up. She started making noise around five years ago with a steady stream of polished nu-soul, but I'm pleased to report that her sound has got a bit murkier, eclectic and consequently more distinctive ever since, with new millennial trip hop and UK club culture now thrown into the mix at will. Check out her 2024 album - one minute you're stoned on a sofa at 1am, the next you're in a club raving to D&B - it's a ride.

Lily is also keeping some good company. On Quiet Nights (Early Takes) she's teamed up with King Krule no less, and it sounds like there were some comfy sofas in the studio. "Flying To Kolkata" kicks off with a barely audible flight announcement, before some Sunday morning beats and vibes float Lily's low gravity sung and spoken thoughts through the speakers. The somewhat disingenuously named, "Tropical Storm" adopts a slightly more robust, but hardly gale force, hip hop beat structure for Krule and Lily's late night, THC saturated duet, the ambient smoke hanging heavy in the air.

The chill-out crew are also well served by the languid drums and ambient sensibility of "It's Never the End", Lily's somewhat detached voice swirling through and on the ethereal thermals, before this (un)easy listening EP signs off with the surprisingly acoustic, bossa kissed soul of, "Corcovado" which opens up the window to allow a warm summer breeze to part the smokiness of the previous tracks. If you're in need of some late night, hazy urban soul then look no further.

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Playlist Companion

Find Lilly in the Slow Alt-Pop Playlist.