L’Rain embraces the light and dark on fata morgana

From the sharp terrain of grief on 2021’s Fatigue to the unique “anti-breakup” conceptual dissection on 2023’s I Killed Your Dog, there's much to seek within the hazy soundscapes and darker thematics that define the Brooklyn native's work as L'Rain.

In less exacting hands such characteristics might come across as distant, sometimes even cold, but that doesn't apply here to fata morgana, her fourth LP and final part of an apparent quadrilogy. Instead, there's a warmly meditative atmosphere that simmers throughout, with Cheek's vocals a never less than engrossing presence, whether gliding across the glassy keys and oily synths on “with time” or the blurry, horn-accented tones of “blue”.

That’s not to say it's all languid; there are enough juxtapositions to ensure the album never loses its potency. The one-two-three punch from “borderline” to “soulless cycle” showcases an elastic energy that Cheek is well-equipped to wade in. “borderline” wondrously implements the presence of drums and guitars that gradually overwhelms the mix; “elmyra” encourages richer inclusions of organic percussion, synths, and vocal harmonies, allowing the heavenly melodies to soar; and “soulless cycle” is engulfed with surprisingly riveting blast beats and noisy guitar, powering through with the mantra-like hook of “Psycho, I’m a psycho cycle."

Exploring the dualities of carrying a hopeful spirit that cohabits with a tendency for existential dread, Cheek makes the arc of fata morgana most clear on the chorus of "blue", declaring that "Shadows can only be made from the light," while the closing duo “birthday” and “church of no one” are proof after all that the light wins out, or at least fights back against the dour thoughts.

The former’s watery grooves provide ample support to its bubbly melodies and meditation on self-love, even with the shades of loneliness that she touches subtly upon, while the latter’s gauzy atmosphere lingers with the album's final lines, “Leave my head and my house / Smile off defeat.”

As effective as they can be, the pelagic tones of fata morgana can sometimes be the album's weakness, diluting the melodic impact of songs like “church of no one” and “glass ceiling”, but “july 5th” is perhaps the most affected. Here, Cheek's glistening melodies and dancehall percussion lines get submerged to a fault, even if it ends decently with the sharp cut to Screechy Dan’s presence in the outro.

Overall, though, fata morgana is simply an awestruck record and an evocative continuation of the L’Rain magic touch. The concept may be related to a mirage but there are no illusions to be found here, just life-affirming realities.