With their debut album Begin, musical duo Lion Babe have come out of the shadows roaring. Featuring the vocals of lion-maned babe Jillian Hervey and the production talents of Lucas Goodman, the two have combined their artistic backgrounds to create a stellar first LP.
To those unfamiliar with the duo, Hervey and Goodman originally met at a college party and over the course of a few years have gone from jamming in a dorm room to working with artists such as Childish Gambino and Disclosure.
Written entirely by Hervey and Goodman, each song on Begin is contagious and begs you to bob your head to the beat. While Hervey and Goodman co-wrote the majority of the album in the last year, it also features the tracks “Treat Me Like Fire” and “Jump Hi,” from their 2014 EP, Lion Babe.
Opening up the album is the hypnotic, mystic “Whole,” which blended elements of early 2000s rhythm and blues with modern electronica. Despite the dichotomy in sounds, Hervey surprises listeners with her sweet vocals.
Described as a neo-soul album, this track fits right in as it’s no stranger to the mixes in different genres, sounds and even musical decades.
Though “Jump Hi” initially premiered on Lion Babe, it syncs well with the other tracks on the album, blending the old with the new. The track beautifully incorporates a loop of Nina Simone’s “Mr. Bojangles,” and also features a rap verse from Childish Gambino, allowing for the mix of ’60s soul funk and new age hip hop.
In addition to traveling back in time to create a great record for today, the lyrics not only carry Hervey’s beautiful vocals behind them, but also convey some conscious messages.
The record’s lead single, “Wonder Woman,” which Pharrell Williams himself produced, is a contender for the next big female power ballad. With lyrics like, “I ain’t gonna take all that / I’m a Wonder Woman,” the anti cat-calling song encourages female listeners to stand up to sexual harassment on the streets.
The second single off Begin, “Impossible,” also carries a message of girl power and strength, with Hervey cooing to her critics, “You can break me down and shake me / Don’t try to rearrange me / No way that you can change me, it’s impossible.” Along with the previous two, “Got Body,” unsurprisingly, is a body-positive song that might give Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” a run for its money.
Midway through the album, the infectious third single, “Where Do We Go,” combines live instruments, ’70s disco, changes in tempo and sweet vocals to create one of the grooviest tracks on the record, and potentially one of the best dance hits for 2016.
While some of the songs offer a good message and engaging lyrics, others like “On The Rocks” and “Hold On” drown in the density of the album’s tracklist, become a bit too repetitive and should probably have been cut or added on as bonus tracks.
While the album is largely electronic and focuses more on the beats than the vocalities, it closes with “Little Dreamer,” a track that distances itself with its strong use of guitar and Hervey’s soothing lullaby voice. She doesn’t hesitate exercising her pipes, reminding everyone that she has serious talent.
All in all, the two have started off their musical career with a promising debut album that is bound to climb up the charts this year. Begin is truly the beginning of a new chapter in the Lion Babe duo’s lives.
Rating: 3.8/5
