REVIEW: Hope Tala Soothes the Soul in New Album ‘Hope Handwritten’
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KYLEE WIENS ☆
It’s R&B, neo-soul, bossa nova, and everything in between: it’s London vocalist Hope Tala’s debut record Hope Handwritten, and it's out everywhere now. Love, friendship, loss and heartache are the driving themes in this butter-smooth and radiant release. Both college-educated and musically talented, Tala delivers refreshingly honest tracks teeming with beauty and life. Each track is as sonically pleasing as it is lyrically intriguing; Tala invites listeners into her inner world through her first-person storytelling and unfettered sincerity.
The album opens with a lofi R&B beat that Tala’s voice glides over like ice. “Growing Pains” introduces the thematic concept of the album, with lyrics like “Falling over getting battle scars/I used to think I was so damn smart” demonstrating the artist’s reflective and sentimental state. This introspection is a thread that will continue to weave the album together, both sonically and lyrically. Hope Handwritten continues with the track “Jumping the Gun,” which fuses bossa nova chord syncopation with soulful vocals that slice straight to the soul. The tune conveys the gut-wrenching feeling of trying to be patient with a new love, while wanting nothing more than to rush all in. This inner turmoil, coupled with the lively two-bar beat pattern perfectly represents the push-and-pull of a new relationship.
Hope Handwritten charges on with bouncing beats and clever wordplay in tracks “Lights Camera Action” and “Magic or Medicine.” Tala turns tender again in “Breaking Isn’t What a Heart is For.” A melodious jazz piano provides the perfect backdrop for the artist’s heartfelt confessions like “I waved my flag cause loving you is war/at first the drama thrilled me/but I can’t let it kill me.” The following track “I Can’t Even Cry” exemplifies Tala’s emergence from the immediate pain of the previous track. Her heartbreak is coupled with hope for the future, resulting in a tune that’s relatable to all the aching hearts of the world.
One of the album’s most vulnerable moments comes in “Lose My Mind,” where Tala describes the amalgamation of emotions that arise when falling for someone. Lyrics “Wondering if she can save me/starting to drive me crazy/starting to make me lose my mind” mark a thematic shift in which Tala begins to welcome in new love and excitement after feelings of past heartache and resentment. This openness ushers in a levity and bright tonality that continues to drive the album forward.
Closing tracks “Miracle,” “Shiver,” and “Heartbeat” represent the emotional apex of Tala’s diary-like album. “Miracle” effervesces with the joy of a healthy relationship, while “Shiver” incorporates gospel elements to paint the picture of a red-hot romantic rendezvous. “Heartbeat” ties the tracklist back to its introspective beginnings, reflecting on the vulnerability of opening one’s heart. Through trials, tribulations, new love and heartache, Tala successfully guides listeners through the gauntlet of emotions that is to fall and begin again. To do so with such self-awareness, inventive lyricism, and production prowess is truly a feat to be celebrated. Find Hope Handwritten on all streaming platforms now.
