Queenslander Lilah's (aka Zoe Ward) single 'Hold Me' is an ambient electro-pop dream - gorgeous production and vocals work to create a promising debut.
LILAH is Zoe Ward, hailing from various parts of Queensland. Formerly performing in and around the local scene as INDIGO DAZE she's switched things up and today dropped her first track under her new name.
'Hold Me' is a dreamy ambient pop tune with some gorgeous production. A simple common chord progression lays the foundation before Ward's vocals soar both with power and grace. The percussion remains crisp without harshing the dreamy vibes, and layered synths build up with each chorus, building a solid wall of sound by the end. Everything in the mix is attuned perfectly, with the vocals rising and falling exactly where they need to.
Where the track falters sightly is in the lyrical presentation, which seems a little fractured. The versus talk about self love and feeling empowered, yet the chorus evokes the title, with the singer saying that they "don't ever wanna be lonely." It's possible the dissonance is entirely deliberate, showing the mix of emotions that can take place after a breakup. Even so, it somewhat dampens the effect of the music, and it almost feels like the lyrics of the verse and chorus should be switched - the lyrics of empowerment alongside the crescendo of the chorus.
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That said, as a debut single, 'Hold Me' by Lilah shows immense promise. She has a keen ear for luscious arrangements and quality over quantity, and a voice that fits like a glove with her music. Ultimately, there is power in Lilah, and her raw stylings mixed with modern production hopefully means this is the start of something big - and we can't wait to see what's next!
Words by Max Lewis
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