Album Review: City Girl - Somnolent Nova
Lo-fi music, an up-and-coming subgenre of instrumental hip-hop growing within Internet culture, has yet to produce an artist as inventive as City Girl. To release so much quality music at such a pace is notable enough, but albums like Neon Impasse are working to redefine how lo-fi is expected to sound. And glancing at Somnolent Nova, the tracklist is filled with collaborations not only with other producers, but also singers, perhaps illustrating an attempt to break yet more new ground and carve a niche for an up-and-coming artistic movement.
Oddly, however, many of the singers lending their voices here are heavily filtered and distorted, to the point where their lyrics are not always understandable. This is far from uncommon in lo-fi music, however it seems somewhat strange to recruit so much talent and then let it be swallowed up by the production. In particular, Into My Arms features ellene, a relatively unknown name with a stellar voice which unfortunately takes a backseat to an admittedly excellent beat with spacey reverb and a charming acoustic break as a centerpiece.
Where Somnolent Nova stands out from its contemporaries is in City Girl's distinct approach to songwriting, exciting and fresh yet never losing its tranquil undertone. Phantom Embrace opens with the slow buildup of a simple synth line, growing in pace and intensity as it begins to bounce between the left and right channels eerily. When it does eventually come down, the rest of the song is much more relaxed in tone, yet still enjoyable, especially with another beat switch in its last moments.
Perhaps where this album shines brightest is in its consistency, with the second half in particular being full of tracks both atmospheric and unconventional. Unfortunately, issues still arise when the production begins to slide back into lo-fi tropes without adding any innovation or flair, sounding bland enough to fit right in on any of the numerous 'beats to relax to' compilations on YouTube. The material here does not take as many risks as City Girl's past releases have, making for a less memorable listen.
While the numerous featured artists and producers do help alleviate the feeling of ennui, even they are not immune; tiffi, a previous City Girl collaborator, has three fairly unvaried appearances here, thought their vocals are still effective at amplifying the mood if nothing else. Easily the best of these is on the closer Palliative, which is built around a simple piano loop and gives the vocals enough room to breathe for once, also allowing the comforting lyrics to add to the song's vibe.
After a string of brilliance throughout 2018, Somnolent Nova can't help but sound like a regression for City Girl in some ways. Much of this album would feel right at home on 2017's Snow Rose or the EP Loveless Shadows, perhaps even as b-sides to their past few releases which, successful or not, pushed the lo-fi sound in new directions. This is not to say this album is bad; City Girl is still an incredibly talented producer, and Somnolent Nova is maybe the most consistent work of an already stellar discography. Still, it's bittersweet to hear something as artistic as this while knowing that the artist can (and likely will continue to) do better.
6.5/10
Favourite Tracks: Somnolent Nova, Phosphorus Kiss, Palliative