In 2013, Jessy Lanza wowed critics with her standout debut ‘Pull My Hair Back,’ touted for its fusion of electro-pop and 90’s R&B and vocals that drew in listeners. Jessy has now announced its follow up, ‘Oh No,’ which is due out May 13 via Hyperdub. She also shared a video for the pulsating, high-energy album track It Means I Love You. Watch it below via Vevo.
Jessy Lanza’s second album ‘Oh No’ is addressed to her own constant nervousness. The pressure of music making, which used to calm her nerves, has led to a whole new world of contingencies that stoke the anxiety mill. The exclamation ‘Oh No,’ for Jessy, marks yet another incident of randomness interrupting her tranquility. All of which seems at odds with the confidence and spontaneity of this second album as well as recent collaborations with the likes of Caribou, DJ Spinn and Morgan Geist and his Galleria project.
Made in her hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, with production partner Jeremy Greenspan from Junior Boys, the plaintive, reverb drizzled mood of the first album has all but given away to a more direct, self-assured and joyful album. As with many artists whose hometown lie off the usual network of cultural hotspots, ‘Oh No’ is driven positively by the idea of making music that isn’t inspired by where she lives. Instead, the album resonates more with the philosophy of experimental pop of Japanese 80s electro outfit Yellow Magic Orchestra and Jessy’s breathless, pitched vocals are reminiscent of YMO collaborator Miharu Koshi. Playfully laced with cascading arpeggios, crispy drum machines and breezy songs, ‘Oh No’ has an infectious energy that has been brewing in her live shows since her first album.
As Jessy says, “I want to make people feel good and I want to make myself feel good.” The album oscillates between the languid, coiled, arpeggiated slow jams of New Ogi, Going Somewhere, Begins, Could be u, I Talk BB and the low slung 808 groove of Vivaca, where Jessy’s vocal gymnastics run wild over minimal drums and synths, and the catchy upbeat boogie of VV Violence, Never Enough, Oh No and the high point of It Means I Love You, which has a sparse addictive bounce, with a pitched up vocal refrain and a nod to Shangaan electro.
The trials of dealing with nervousness are also encrypted in to the artwork, such as the plants that recur in the sleeve and videos. As Jessy remarked, “I became obsessed with surrounding myself with tropical plants. I’ve been convinced that the air quality in our house is slowly killing us. It might sound crazy but the plants have made a huge difference.” Anxiety and botanical remedies or not, ‘Oh No’ is a bold second album from Jessy and a marked step forward for her sound.
‘Oh No’ track listing:
New Ogi
VV Violence
Never Enough
I Talk BB
Going Somewhere
It Means I Love You
Vivica
Oh No
Begins
Could Be U
Jessy Lanza will be touring North American with Junior Boys this spring – the dates are below.
Tour dates with Junior Boys:
3/10 – Vancouver, BC @ The Imperial Theatre
3/11 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
3/12 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
3/14 – San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine
3/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theatre
3/17 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
3/18 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
3/19 – Tucson, AZ @ The Flycatcher
3/21 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
3/22 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
3/23 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Studio
3/24 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks
3/25 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
3/26 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
3/28 – Carborro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
3/29 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
3/30 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
3/31 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
4/1 – Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
4/2 – Pawtucket, RI @ The MET Cafe
4/4 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar
4/5 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
4/6 – Chicago, IL @ The Metro
4/7 – Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot
4/8 – London, ON @ London Music Hall
4/9 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
For more information on Jessy Lanza, visit jessylanza.com.
