Following her impressive debut ‘Concrete Jungle’, the Antigua-via-Ibiza talent Au/Ra shares another addictive alt-pop track ‘Kicks’. Drum stick smacks and distant siren sounds form the basis for Au/Ra’s inventive lyrics that play on well-used English sayings: “What’s dust to you is gold to me, but we’re just different books to read - where every single chapter is another cliff hanger.” It’s a celebration of individualism, particularly in the bold, glossy chorus, that recognises the beauty of difference, especially when it comes to pursuits of passion. For the full-time island hopper, her biggest kick can be found in songwriting, as hinted by the line “when my thoughts start to rhyme, goosebumps never lie.” Speaking of differences, Au/Ra’s ‘Kicks’ also demonstrates her ability to craft sonic variation compared to ‘Concrete Jungle’ – it’s still pop, but a slower, dreamier, subtly shadier version. This rapid development has us looking ahead for what direction this young songwriter will take next. - HT