The simple things in life are Olivia Dean’s muses for her debut studio album, Messy. Yet, there’s noting simplistic about the London songstress’ soulful introspections.
One minute, Dean is exploring the dimension of a celestial love on the guitar-laden “UFO,” a song dubbed with layers of her melancholic voice. The next, she’s struggling to capture the sanity of life on the brazen but sultry “Everybody’s Crazy,” where she explores her own mental health.
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With all its very adult themes, Dean makes it known that she doesn’t take herself too seriously. That’s obvious with the bubbly, in-the-moment headshot of the singer-songwriter on her album cover. Her lighthearted approach is further made evident through the slow-burning, metaphoric “I Could Be A Florist,” or the Marvin Gaye inspired “Ladies Room,” which came about after Dean’s experience in a local pub’s restroom.
Messy is an exquisite work of art that showcases Dean’s seemingly effortless talent and range. Each of the 12 tracks indulge in jazzy pop tunes, and even R&B, complemented by Dean’s lovely soul singing, earning the prestige of Definite Replay Value (DRV), a rating established by The MouthSoap to indicate the quality of a song or album based on the tolerance to listen to it multiple times.
This is no surprise given Dean’s influences. The Enfield, London born artist listens to the likes of Lauryn Hill, Carole King, and Amy Winehouse, to name a few. Her current discography of singles and EPs exemplifies the acoustic, one-mic artistry of these icons as Dean dives into her own truths.
What is most compelling about Dean’s full-length freshman entry is the raw honesty in her vulnerability, along with her ability to sooth the soul in the midst of less than perfect moments. Being messy is a calling card for human beings to connect in an unpredictable world. Similar to how music unites people from every walk of life.
“I think in an age where everybody is pretending that their life is amazing, it’s really refreshing to be like, ‘My life’s a mess and your life’s probably a mess too,’” Dean said in an interview with Apple Music. “But, that’s fine. That’s the spice of life.”
Olivia Dean’s Messy is available on Apple Music and major music streaming platforms. Or listen below:
