Hannah Cohen - Pleasure Boy

When your first track comes with a refrain of “tell me her name, tell me her name”, you know you’re in for something visceral, impacting and lyrically striking. This is a record just brimming with ideas, ‘Lilacs’ features arpeggiating synths and sparse percussion, and operatic textures, before the piano balladry of ‘Watching You Fall’, which plays on a piano chord progression that nods to Frida Hyvönen, and shows off the range of Cohen’s vocal, a remarkably clear, bright delivery that’s consistently excellent.

The sheer range of ideas on this record put Cohen in great stead – ‘Fake It’ is punctuated by a slithering bass-line that wouldn’t sound out of place in post-dubstep, yet, the ticking hi-hats and deep, rich string instrumentation keeps the track on an even, pop keel. ‘Clairemont Song’ is a track that constantly builds and teases something bigger, but ultimately shows beauty in restraint, before ‘Queen of Ice’s bass-heavy synths give way to something altogether more jazzy in the chorus. This is gorgeously arranged, cerebral pop music, with superlative production. Everything is crisp and precise – every note, snare hit and contour of Cohen’s vocals are an exact science, yet the songs are structurally unpredictable.

This is a captivating record; a studied, precise and explorative showcase of songwriting, equal parts accessible and experimental. It’s ominous, dark even, at the right times and bright in others. ‘Pleasure Boy’ is a record deserving of widespread acclaim.