Among all the sad news in the music industry lately, it’s nice to have some good news delivered. St. Lucia is back with sophomore album Matter, and we’re not talking about the Caribbean country.
The South African born musician Jean-Philip Grobler stumbled onto the music scene in 2012 with a self-titled EP. The success of the six-track creation helped St. Lucia make a name for himself and led him to work with artists like The Knocks and Foster the People.
Hoping to continue the success of his 2013 debut album When the Night, Grobler releases another work of art. Matter is an album Grobler clearly experimented with as an artist. Songs like “Physical” and “Help Me Runaway” are much more pop influenced compared to “Dancing on Glass” — which sounds like that signature St. Lucia sound.
The album has a variety of vibes from different music genres. You wouldn’t expect the band to stray far from their signature sound, but they clearly prove change can be a good thing. “Love Somebody” is a prime example. Clearly some R&B influence, Grobler proves he can do much more than dance songs and indie-pop. It’s enjoyable and comforting, but also exciting to see what the band will do in the future.
This album clearly shows that Grobler is ready to keep expanding as an artist without straying from the image he has created.
St. Lucia kicked-off his tour on Jan. 29th, and stops at the Majestic Theatre Feb. 13th. Tickets — which make for a great Valentine’s Day present — are available online.
