Review Lola Young - My Mind Wanders And Sometimes Leaves Completely

In embracing established soul sensibilities from pop figures immemorial, Lola Young’s debut is remarkable in its ability to pull allure and anthem from emotional turmoil. At its best sits the sugary sweet ‘Revolve Around You’, ‘What Is It About Me’, a larger-than-life heartwrenching entry that screams Paloma Faith’s ‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’, and ‘Chill Out’, undoubtedly a future hit. Its most unique moments include ‘Stream of Consciousness’ and viral TikTok track ‘Don’t Hate Me’, the former a street-wise musing on neuroses and the latter a plea for forgiveness from a dying relationship. It’s these more experimental tracks that end up the least memorable - or at least, in too little a quantity to have any larger impact.

Homely and familiar in its sound for the most part, ‘My Mind Wanders…’ is a smooth ride of buttery emotional grandiosity and infectious London pop that sits somewhere between Paloma, Adele and Jess Glynne, with enough attitude and bravery to modernise these prevailing and reliable British tropes within soul-pop.