EP Review | Ivor Lane Is Introspective On Postplay

Ivor Lane, a solo indie act from Chicago, has teased out a challenging listen in the form of lead single, ‘I Wait Too Long’, generating much online buzz. The follow-up EP, Postplay, is an eclectic mix of songs, with an isolated and ethereal outlook. Lane combines meditative ambience with studio trickery to create cavernous, sombre reflections on their state of mind during a tender period.

“I was in a very dark and isolated emotional place when I wrote this album. But at my core, I am extremely optimistic, I think you can hear that in this record,” says Lane. “I want this album to help folks who are sad, by being a friendly voice that doesn’t try to heal them, but sits with them as they are, and helps them reflect.”

‘Loved Me’ illustrates some of the influences cited by Lane, shoegaze music and Nico, perfectly. A brooding chord vamp supported by harrowing strings and ghostly vocals interchanges with feedbacking guitars and other ornamental quirks lingering in the background. Lyrically, Lane is cutting and deeply honest, as if repeating a dialogue within their head from a memory that won’t leave.

‘Miss Me’ maintains a similar rhythm and vibe as the previous track, but suddenly bursts into life via a swarm of reverb/delay washes, looping, noise, and tweaked vocals. Progressively, the mid-track wash dissipates in a wave-like fashion before a resumption of Lane’s reflective question.

‘Reminder’ features scratchy textures similar to a blown-out speaker, while Lane performs some fantasy-laden spoken word on top. Short and sweet, this mid-EP track acts as a breather between the two sides.

Confessional in nature, ‘I Wait Too Long’, embraces pain and loneliness as a fact of life. The lyrics explore the weight of taking the honourable decision to carry on after loss and how to cope in spite of it.

Last is the grungier, guitar-heavy ‘You’ve Got Me’. The track stands on a fuzzy wall of sound, tempered with a straight 6/8 beat. Packing more energy and enthusiasm than any other tracks, this one reflects Lane’s aforementioned optimism despite all that has passed, literally and figuratively.

Experimental yet catchy, Postplay is an atmospheric, introspective wonder. Lane has already captured enough interest to be featured in an indie film, and collaborators are knocking at their door. This EP is indicative of great potential.

Postplay will be available on March 29th.

4.5/5