Australian songwriter and producer LANKS creates original music, and is a truly talented artist. He blends pop, electronic, and indie together to create a surreal, dreamy atmosphere.
Gemma Pike from triple j describes LANKS as being a “triple threat” — a supreme songwriter, vocalist, and producer. LANKS is releasing his new album, twentyseven, on April 27. He has released three EPs since 2014, each self-produced and marvelous. However, twentyseven truly stands out on its own.
LANKS’ vocals are soft and sedating. His voice is like a pillow for the listener’s weary head, gentle and sweet. He croons in each song on the album. One notably endearing song is “Holla.” He sings behind a strong, clanking beat, and the song is interrupted by strong displays of energetic production and basslines, LANKS returns to sing a fantastic hook. His voice is one that is gentle and accompanies music, it carries his lyrics with a personal essence behind them.
Although there are songs that are mellow and sweet, his electric production is unique. Each song differs from the next, pulled together with the commonality that is LANKS’ voice. The beats in each and every song are incredible and exciting. For example, the song “Man” beams because of the percussion. The single “twentyseven” has a grooving beat that keeps your foot tapping and the song swinging along.
The last portion of the “triple threat” is songwriting. His lyrics are profound and reflective, always giving us a glimpse at the young artist’s mind. In “My Own Mystery,” feat. Ngaiire, LANKS talks about moving forward in his career and music. Although life can be scary, and fear is the unknown, he will make his own mystery. I interpret this as meaning that he is actually embracing the uncertainty and unknown of the world, rather than being afraid of it. He will make his music, his story, his own mystery. Something for others to enjoy and ponder, as he has done, basking in the mystery of his musical idols.
LANKS’ ‘twentyseven’ Has a Profound Story
Sometimes, indie artists like to name their albums/songs a random assortment of words that tends to have no meaning. I thought that twentyseven was the same way, but I was wrong. It is actually a reference to the famed 27 Club. There are a number of famous artists, musicians, and actors who have died at age 27. twentyseven is about LANKS’ 27th birthday and the pressure he feels to succeed.
LANKS said this about his album: “My heroes — Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and others — had achieved success by the time they were 27 and I was still younger than that and had potential. This birthday had always loomed over me as a crucial deadline that I had to meet and when I finally reached it I realized that life is about much more than achievement and actually everyone achieves their dreams in their own time.”
