9/10

If there were any artist that soundtracked the lockdown we all experienced last year, it was Arlo Parks. While building a huge amount of buzz prior to the pandemic, it was her distinctly smooth and brooding aesthetic that captured our attention during these troubled times and saw her become one of the UK's most loved new artists. Now after several months of building anticipation and interest, she has delivered her long-awaited debut album 'Collapsed In Sunbeams', a collection that sees her stake her claim as this country's most progressive new name.

From the very start, 'Collapsed In Sunbeams' looks to present itself as a thought-provoking and captivating release. Opening up with a short but atmosphere-defining spoken word poem, the record moves effortlessly from one intoxicating soul-filled groove to the next, creating this wonderful tranquil ride for us to simply sit back and enjoy. And while many choose to pick over the meaning and intention behind her lyrics, the production and sound on this album is so good, it is just as easy to enjoy this release on a purely sonic level as well, delivering one of the most accessible collections we have heard in months.

There was no denying that 'Collapsed In Sunbeams' was going to impress given what we had already heard from its preview singles, but it still manages to throw up plenty of surprises. Arlo Parks sounds so at ease on what is no doubt one of the most anticipated releases of the last few months, showing us that this is just second nature to her and impressing us at almost every turn.