New Music: Lucid Dreaming by Alexandra
Featured image by Emily Dozois Photography
Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Alexandra is releasing her debut full-length album Lucid Dreaming this weekend, an emotive 10-track opus she composed after pursuing her lifelong love of poetry and piano.
Diving into Lucid Dreaming without knowing what to expect, one might be surprised to learn that this is the first stab that Alexandra has taken at writing music. The first track “Anicca” exemplifies the imaginative lyrics, intricate compositional elements, and the gentle-yet-rubust character that the entire album exudes. There is an undeniable pop aesthetic and appeal to her music, as well as beautiful and delicate vocal and instrumental moments that pull back and offer restraint. The maturity she demonstrates as an artist on this album is one of the most impressive aspects of it – it is a great listen front to back and contains several tracks that feel like radio hits. Who knew she’s only been in the music game for a couple years?
“Music has been a constant in my life, but has multiplied in importance to me in recent years,” Alexandra explains.
“I’ve always loved music: I find comfort in relating to others’ lyrics, am easily moved by certain sounds and melodies, and have played the piano since I was a child. But when I began writing and singing my own songs two years ago, music became more. It helped me express my emotions, overcome struggles, and gain confidence. I now consider music a defining element of my personal growth and identity.”
Lucid Dreaming was recorded at Academy Records with Eric St-Cyr in Ottawa, and is officially released on May 15. “[Recording in-studio] unlocked new layers of my imagination and will absolutely influence my song-writing in a positive way. I’m very grateful for the experience.” Alexandra describes the leading single “Lullaby” as an irresistibly catchy song about finding comfort in the uncomfortable. This song, as well as others such as “3:33” contain an atmospheric, open hall sound that is reminiscent of Lykke Li or BANKS. Speaking of which, you can listen to Alexandra’s incredible cover of BANKS’s track “Waiting Game” on her Soundcloud here.
Songs such as “Tall Tree Lane” and “Blue Moonlight” are visceral, penetrating examples of her ability to create a story and translate it into an emotional experience that listeners feel, rather than just listen to. The title track and “September” bring us back to a lighter, more upbeat place on the album. Lucid Dreaming‘s flow allows the listener to stay with the whole album, never losing us or getting too comfortable in a specific type of sound.
Although Alexandra hasn’t been performing very long, there’s no doubt that she’s excited to play her album release at Zaphod’s on May 15.
“I’m shy by nature, so singing in public for the first time was a huge milestone for me,” she says. “The audience turned out to be very attentive and encouraging, and even started clapping along to one of my original songs. I was so happy. Immediately after leaving the stage, I wanted to go up and perform again. As cliché as it is, I felt like I had finally started pursuing something meaningful. I was inspired and driven to continue.”
Be sure to catch Alexandra’s album release party at Zaphod’s May 15, along with Tina Wallace and The and Waxing Moon. She’ll be joined by Eric St-Cyr and Jasen Colson of Brown Paper Bag on backing instrumentals for her performance.