8/10

After first breaking through to the mainstream at the start of 2020, easy life have quickly grown to become one of the most talked about acts of the last year. Having already impressed so many with their brilliant mixtape 'Junk Food' near the end of last year, it was clear that they were going to become a staple of the new music soundscape for quite some time afterwards. And after a string of highly-praised offerings these last few months, they now return to deliver their long-awaited debut album 'life's a beach', a record that firmly establishes them as the next big thing right now.

While originally adopting a more psych-pop direction in their infancy, easy life now seem keen to create something with wider appeal but still anchored in their warm and woozy aesthetic. From the very start, 'life's a beach' is intended as a smooth and laid-back offering, rarely breaking out into something more energetic and vibrant, like we have heard from their preview singles. It has this wonderfully light yet textured feel to it, moving from one sweeping groove to the next in order to create a luxurious ride throughout every composition and deliver a brilliantly sun-kissed delight.

It may not be the bold and upbeat collection that many were expecting to hear, but 'life's a beach' still makes for a compelling initial full-length from a group that has rarely put a foot wrong of late. Their masterful songwriting and production shines throughout, and will no doubt become the soundtrack to every summer barbecue this year.