Singer, songwriter, and producer Luci is a champion among the DJ set. Her ability to perform with props live proves she is among the elite in her chosen genre — outshining those relying on recorded vocals and flashing lights to woo the crowds. This gives the artist an element of mysticism unheard of in the electronic pop unit, but without danceable tunes, this would mean nothing.
With popular covers such as Flyleaf’s “All Around Me” and Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life,” Luci knows how to hype up her fanbase before throwing herself into originals like “Me and You” and “Till The Day I Die.” But as we all know, an artist is only as good as their latest release.
Luci’s newest offering, ‘The Lore of the Fae,’ provides valuable insight into the artist’s life and relationships while pushing forward her ideals. Aside from the fact that the EP’s name doesn’t seem suitable in the recording context, no harm is given to the listener except possible neck strain due to head-bopping.
The first track, “We Never Met,” introduces us to a recently dissolved relationship between the artist and an unknown lover. It starts at a midtempo and hits full force at the chorus, giving the audience an idea of what Luci is all about — not just nonstop action but a proper build-up to the climax.
Here, we listen to the artist state that the other person took all of her good. It is difficult to move forward when we give all we can in a relationship and get little to nothing in return. You begin to question what else you could have done and whose fault the breakup was.
After all, you did everything you could to fix the issues, but a wreck isn’t always salvageable. In the final analysis, the whole thing is totaled.
“Violet Gray” comes in close to a ballad with a slow strumming of the guitar and no background beat to speak of until the right moment. The artist uses color representation to compare her differences with her lover. “I was violet blue and you were ash gray. I knew that we were different, but I still stayed.”
Differences in romance can be good and bad. Sometimes, the other person can complement what you are lacking — highlighting your absence of patience and lending a small amount to you.
Other times, what the other is missing can never be replaced, no matter how much you give them. Love heals many wounds, but unfortunately, not all.
“Dead to Me” puts aside the pining for an ex-lover momentarily and takes the victory over them. In all honesty, this song borders TMI with lines like “Saying you’re a top now. How’s that going for ya? Bet you miss your pillow-princess days, don’t ya?”
That aside, the artist dives face-first into their newborn hatred for the one they once cared for, claiming even though they’ve been hurt she won’t go “batshit crazy” but become a “bad bitch”.
When relationships end, we have multiple choices. We can curl up into the fetal position and revel in our agony, or we can choose to become stronger. While not the best option, Luci chooses to feed off her hatred for how things ended, growing a thicker outershell and letting her significant other fall off the face of her planet.
The next track, “I Won’t Miss You Forever,” slows things down considerably, not necessarily in tempo but in terms of anger. Instead of relishing in her negative feelings like elsewhere on the EP, the artist gains a hopeful perspective by realizing there is an expiration date on the pain she is currently feeling.
Breakups are hard on everybody but are often a necessary evil. The turmoil felt during these times is often immeasurable, causing us to postpone the inevitable. Eventually, the truth breaks through to the surface and brings our emotions along with it.
At this point, we go through the grieving process. Shock, denial, anger, and depression are all present during this time, contaminating our world and souring our memories. Fortunately, this is just a transition period on the road to healing.
Damn that toxic love feels so damn good on my body. Loving her is like driving a broken-down Ferrari.
“Comfortable” starts with a simple but effective guitar riff, making it one of the catchiest tunes on the EP. Selecting it to be a single was the obvious choice.
Here, Luci continues her relationship introspection by examining her motives. On one hand, being enraptured with her lover is extremely comfortable. On the other hand, the toxicity of their courtship makes it completely irresponsible.
This song works on multiple levels because it doesn’t have to be taken in a romantic aspect. Why don’t we quit the job we hate? Why do we visit our non-supportive family members during the holidays?
It is all routine, and it feels right even when everything goes wrong.
“Right Person Wrong Time” closes out the EP on a radio-friendly note, matching the likes of Ellie Goulding and Cascada note for note. In this song, Luci dissects the timing of certain relationships.
Sometimes in life, we meet a person we click with automatically. They check all the boxes and exceed our expectations, but their scheduled appearance is far from perfect.
Maybe we are still healing from a past relationship, or possibly we’re moving to the next town over. Whatever the situation is, they end up being an oddly shaped piece of the puzzle.
‘The Lore of the Fae’ is ultimately a satisfying EP. While there are a few standout tracks, Luci doesn’t quite reinvent the wheel. It’s a smooth listening experience that makes for great background music at your next get-together, be it a party or a social hour.
No tracks are immediately skippable, but most aren’t worthy of being put on replay either. With the number of alt-pop releases this year, this EP will likely get lost in the mix, but Luci can happily fill that void until the next best thing comes around.
What is your favorite track on ‘The Lore of the Fae’? Let us know in the comments below!
Listen to ‘The Lore of the Fae’.
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Charles E. Henning
Self-proclaimed "entertainment guru" Charles E Henning fills his free time reading books, watching movies, and listening to music. While not always up on the latest trends, he is consistently willing to dissect the themes of pop culture.
