Born in Ballymoney yet living in Coleraine, Noelle Lucas is the latest local music artist to keep your ears out for.
She has been singing since the tender age of seven and song writing since eleven. Now, aged 31, Noelle is finally ready to release her debut album ‘Guru’ early next year.
The story behind this album mirrors experiences from Noelle’s childhood, allowing the listener to musically travel through her teenage years and into the present day. It focuses on soul searching, finding acceptance and conquering one’s past fears; something a lot of people will be able to make a personal connection with.
After listening to the full album, it is the perfect void-filler for any Kylie Minogue, Madonna and Kate Bush fans, with a hint of modern electronic influence from Lady Gaga in her earlier pop days.
Although it is a 2018 album, there is something reminiscent about Noelle’s voice and style of songs which reinstate the ‘traditional’ definition of pop music and why the 90s/early 2000s were so iconic.
The first track of the album, Carpe Diem, has a solid and captivating beat throughout, a successful hook for anyone who is a sucker for an effective Haim-inspired quick-strum guitar beat. A strong start to set up for the rest of the collection.
Red Fire is a highlight, with heavy guitar and harsh drums making it more of a dark horse compared to other upbeat songs hosted on the album. The guitar riff two thirds of the way through is another element that makes it special, and Noelle’s contrastingly delicate vocals affirm her versatility with it being such an experimental and daring track.
Chains is a very honest, relatable and inspiring song. It initially delves into Noelle’s deep and depressing memories as she sings: “Crying about this for years, the wounds fill up with my tears”. However, the chorus then takes a positive turn as she decides to let go of her past problems: “Free from the chains of my life; no more mistakes here tonight”. A very encouraging ‘move on’ song for those needing it.
Noelle’s upcoming single ‘Numerology’ is very catchy, marking the point where she eventually understands her life. Her voice sounds more assured in this song; you can hear her confidence has been found and this is the stomping, anthemic song she wrote when she made this discovery. One of the best parts of this album is that it ends on an empowering high, while the vocals are still light and lovely, the message behind it means so much more.
My main criticism would be that it may not overly appeal to a younger audience, yet this is not the be-all-and-end-all of an album’s success. Overall, I would recommend giving the album a listen if you want to listen to a compelling story, and be transported to a fun yet nostalgic music world.
Noelle’s second single Numerology is released on November 11th. Follow Noelle on her website, Soundcloud or Facebook for more great music.
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