April - 'Luna' EP Review

I’m not sure what the rest of us were doing over lockdown but 21 y/o April Lawlor was busy creating not one, but two sweet sounding EPs for our ears to enjoy in these trying times.

She’s said previously that she was, for a while, unable to admit to her lyrics being about her and somehow makes the listener appreciate her music more now. Luna and the intimate lyrics it consists of act as a window into April’s mind and an invitation to join her on pondering the questions about love that are found circling inside.

The light melodies of the opening track Forever- To Feel Like Tonight, reflect a combination of desire to live forever in those moments of bliss you experience in new relationships, combined with the less enjoyable moments of uncertainty that come in those early stages too. Side note: the very beginning of this track weirdly reminds me of Radiohead’s Creep- though I’m aware I may well be the first and last to say that, as Radiohead aren’t amongst Lana Del Rey and King Princess in the Irish pop newcomer’s influences.

My favourite track has to be Watching You Disappear. ‘The longer the waiting, the sweeter the call, the higher the feeling, the harder the fall, the deeper the meaning, the louder the fear, the pleasure of watching you disappear’. April has said that these lyrics are about all the hazy nights out she went on to aid her in forgetting this person that was tormenting her thoughts, and with its dreamy vocals and atmospheric sounds you almost feel like you’re on the night out with her- and watch the DIY music video for it too and you’ll feel this even more. Watching You Disappear provides listeners with a lovely little 3-minute escape from the now and perhaps with a chance to quickly reminisce on past romances they had learnt to forget.

Would You Let Me In was one of the first songs Lawlor wrote and later reimagined when she asked Dublin’s Kojaque to get involved with his vibey synths on the production. It centres around the fear you feel when you start developing feelings for someone for the first time after having your heart broken, and this feeling continues as she rounds off the EP with its eponymous track. She named Luna after her cat that died around the time of writing, something which only added another layer of sadness to the song’s meanings and sees April lay her heartache out bare for us all to see with some of the EP’s most vulnerable lyrics.

Overall, Luna highlights all of the uncertainties that come with young love which I’m sure all of us are likely to have felt, be feeling or are gonna feel at some point. And whilst you might think 2020 has had enough uncertainty, April’s dreamlike vocals are enough to almost send you into a meditative trance where actually- you know everything’s going to be just fine. This feeling of reassurance may well be a reflection of the fact that she’s feeling pretty bloody happy what she has said herself is ‘the most perfect relationship’ right now, which is just dead nice to hear after really feeling her heartbreak in this EP. If she’s coming up EP’s like Luna over Zoom, I’m pretty excited about what bedroom pop April from County Kildare is gonna bring us next.

PS she’s also done a gorgeous little rendition of ELIZA’s Lava/Treacle on YouTube which is fully worth a go.

You can listen to Luna on all streaming services now and also cop a Limited Edition neon purple vinyl fella at https://themonthapril.bandcamp.com/album/luna

Jennifer McDermott