Lady Lazarus - Impossible Journey of My Soul Tonight (2019)

California singer-songwriter, musician and writer Lady Lazarus (also known as Melissa Ann Sweat) released a dreamy, moving folk-pop record, titled Impossible Journey of My Soul Tonight. It’s a beautiful nine-track record, composed and written entirely by Lady Lazarus and featuring instruments ranging from grand piano to electric strings to electric vibraphone.

The nine tracks on Impossible Journey of My Soul Tonight range from hazy, gauzy folk-pop songs on which each note blends into the next, sounding almost as if the listener is underwater and listening to the record from far away (“I Know What It Feels Like”), to more structured tracks with percussive piano chords holding the shape of the song as Sweat’s syrupy vocals drip across the instruments (“Give A Little Bit of Yourself, Babe”). Still other songs feature just enough of an echo to remain dreamy (“Golden Heart”).

Sweat’s voice and various piano instruments serve as the threads holding the record together. Regardless of whether tracks are light and blended or more dynamic, Sweat is strong throughout, showcasing smooth, velvet tones in both low and high ranges as she croons about love and loss.

Perhaps the most romantic track of all is “Golden Heart,” a track that leans toward the less-structured end of the spectrum, though Sweat’s vocals are low and clear as she sings (“There is nothing in the stars/That would have kept my love apart/From you”). It’s gauzy and light, and the music moves slowly, creating chill-inducing, romantic moments in both instrumentals and choruses.

But the final track, “All I Wanted To Be Is Free,” wraps up the album almost perfectly. Near its end, the song features a period of pure instrumentals, layering electric strings underneath rich saxophone and the usual piano to create a decadent, textured musical blend that feels nothing if not romantic; it’s touching, and it ends the record on a surprisingly tranquil note.