A warm tribute to persistance...There is a lesson to be learnt from *Laura Welsh's* debut album, and that is not to give up in the face of barriers.
Over the past few years, Welsh has come up against a number of hurdles - including band break ups, relationship breakdowns and all the pain that comes with it - but with 'Soft Control', she proves that she has well and truly come out the other end ten times stronger. By fusing together the big vocals and production of Florence and The Machine, adding the soul of Alicia Keys and the songwriting of Adele, she has created a solid pop album that burns with a fierce feminine fire.
'Soft Control' is an honest, open and frequently powerful selection of electric soul-pop that has a warmth at its centre that radiates outwards in all directions. Welsh's vocals are silky, but strong and incredibly well controlled throughout, marking her out as a fresh pop talent, and that is perhaps demonstrated best in the strength of the other artists who have worked with Welsh on the album.
Drawing in the likes of Dev Hynes, Jonathan Lipsey (Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse) and even John Legend for a duet on the astoundingly beautiful soul-filled 'Hardest Part', Welsh skillfully uses the influence of these other artists to enhance the essence of her songs and add a multi-dimensional feel to them.
Yet the real strength of 'Soft Control' comes in the form of Welsh's ability to let her personal experiences shine through the lyrics. Songs such as 'Ghosts', 'Breathe Me In' and 'God Keeps' are big pop numbers, but at their heart there is an integrity that makes them relatable and real, where emotion bleeds in from all corners.
Fuelled by heartbreak, the songs translate a deep-seated pain into something that has universal appeal as it pulsates through its eclectic array of influences. 'Soft Control' is a carefully crafted debut that comes from a very real place and shows what can be achieved when you keep pushing forward.
*6/10*
Words: *Amelia Maher*
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