Released: September 27
Since launching to the top of the charts 15 years ago with her debut single Mama Do, Pixie Lott has enjoyed a run of hit records that positioned her as one of British pop’s brightest shining stars of the 21st Century.
Follow-up Boys And Girls was another No. 1, while All About Tonight gave her a third chart-topper, and What Do You Take Me For?, Kiss The Stars and Nasty all went Top 10. But following the release of her third, self-titled LP, the singer-songwriter stepped back from the biz, releasing a series of dance collaborations but steering clear of a full studio set – until now.
‘Encino’ is Pixie’s fourth album and her best-realised work to date, tapping into the sounds of artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, Joe Cocker and Paul Simon, and reverting to the song-driven approach that led her creative process when she started out in the industry as a teen.
Lead single Somebody’s Daughter is indicative of the direction of the record, with organic instrumentation and particularly impressive vocals from the artist who, since her last album, has gotten married and started a family. It’s surely no coincidence that as the stars aligned in her personal life, she crafted her most unified body of work yet.
‘I’m the only one to see both sides of you the same / I’d rather be lost with you than find myself with anybody else’, she sings on the stripped-back Anybody Else, which builds to a crescendo with lush background vocals, while the jovial, acoustic guitar-led Happy celebrates the little wins that result in everyday contentment.
Touching on themes such as online harassment and bullying (Midnight Trash) and artistic alienation (Coco), to weekend movie nights with her family as a youngster (Blockbuster Video), the charm of ‘Encino’ is the personal throughline that brings listeners closer to the artist across its 13 songs.
Pixie’s powerful vocals have never sounded better and it’s full-band tracks like opening number Show You Love, Stars and the penultimate All We Have Is Now that prove her to be the perfect pop frontwoman, commanding each tune with ease while never fighting against the music. With so many tender moments on the record, they stand out among the most immediately-appealing offerings and present an obvious path forward.
More than anything, though, the highlight of ‘Encino’ is Pixie’s evolution, which shines through on a record that feels like an essential chapter in her musical journey.
