Raveena's 'Lucid' Is the Sonic Personification of a Mental Health Day
Photo: Kelia Anne
To say Raveena's music sounds like heaven feels like no mere hyperbole. The Indian-American artist has spent the last few years crafting a daydream of a world from the threads of transcendent R&B and silky soul. And with the release of her long-awaited debut album, the notion of Raveena as an otherworldly R&B presence is undeniable.
Lucid is in many ways an album true to its name. From the album's opening track, the aptly titled "Hypnotism," we are lulled into a serene calm as a soothing series of instrumentation and Raveena's coos and fill the air. This is the sonic personification of taking a mental health day. More than just a superb bout of tranquil new-aged R&B, Raveena's debut album plays out like a lucid dream, giving shape to the wondrous world that exists in her mind and heart.
"What a dream to finally be able to give you this piece of my soul," shared Raveena on the night of the album's released. For Lucid is without a doubt an impeccable showcasing of one of R&B's best new voices, but most of all it arrives as a sonic exploration of Raveena as an artist and person. The mesmerizing moments of R&B and soul are simply the vehicle for this expression.
Exploring themes of sexuality, her Indian heritage, womanhood, and more, Lucid is the embodiment of a landmark work by an artist with a truly distinctive and arresting musical vision. It is a unique musical outlook that allows Raveena to reflect on her own mother and the sacrifices she experienced due to immigrating to America in a track like "Mama," while still making the whole affair sound like an utter dream to the ears. These salient themes run their course in every one of Lucid's twelve spellbinding tracks, each painting a sonic portrait that is equal parts divine and wholly breathtaking.
List to Lucid below:
