Lucky Iris is an alt-pop duo based in Leeds comprising of Maeve Florsheim and Jasper Exley. You may recognise Maeve and Jasper from the Leeds music scene, having both been part of the band Everyday People, but this new year and new decade has seen them develop the new project, Lucky Iris, and the duo’s first EP, Turns Out We Should Have Stayed at Home.
The EP is a concept EP constructed of four tracks, following a night out which went wrong, and wasn’t worth the effort. Immediately, I was intrigued because that is a story that I’m sure many young people, including myself, know all too well. One may even go as far as to describe it as relatable content; to hear that depicted in a minimalist, alt-pop release is something I can definitely get on board with.
The opening track ‘Get Ready with Me’ is addictive; its percussive, additive keyboard melody is extremely catchy and stays with you for hours after listening. It also creates a nice contrast with the next track, the much slower ballad-esque ‘Take 5 (Why Can’t You See Me)’. On this track you can really hear the influences of jazz on the writing, creating a clever cocktail of genres as electronic and pop influences lay the foundations. I also think the line “I feel so alone but I’m surrounded in here” perfectly sums up the experience of those terrible nights where you really should have stayed at home and you’ve been dragged out by your more enthusiastic mates. ‘Glitter Vision’ picks up the energy again, and gives off Billie Eilish ‘Bad Guy’ vibes, until the dramatic change to a slow, bassy, angsty end. This leads on well to the final track, ‘I Fell Backwards’, another slow, piano driven ballad.
Aptly named for these times in lockdown, Turns Out We Should Have Stayed at Home is a delightful listen. The musical capabilities of the musicians really shine through, and the production is slick, bringing the work together. If, like myself, you’re trying to consume as much art whilst we’re in lockdown, I highly recommend this EP. Although, at the end of this, a night out may be exactly what we all want.
SARAH JEWERS