CHSR’s Mini-Review: Lovestorm’s ‘Free to Love’

LISTEN to Album while reading the review! http://lovestorm.bandcamp.com/album/free-to-love

It is a fairly known fact that music often becomes permanently connected to our psyche while literally becoming the soundtrack of our lives. With the good times and the bad, we often listen to music while reflecting and meditating, to party with, rage against, cry too, while making love, and dance. Music is truly an intimate medium that allows us to feel a form of expression vicariously through an artist. And if the artist is Lovestorm, the subtle complexity of the music, combined with deeply personal lyrics, form a unique brand of authenticity in their culmination of pop/world/electronic music and organic soul searching reflections on human relationships and the spirit – while being very danceable! This is a new kind of club energy that would sound as good walking down the street, cranked out in your living room, or at a huge festival with glow sticks.

Lovestorm’s new full length ‘Free to Love’ surprised me in its new direction upon first listen, but at the same time, it fits perfectly with the bands previous releases. The band is made up of partners Nina Khosla and Tim Issac who freely use their own life experiences’ as a couple for creative inspiration. The last time I spoke with Nina was for the release of their catchy folk pop release ‘Overripe’, and she hinted that she wanted to make a dance record. And on ‘Free to Love’, Loverstorm deliver on what they promised. They have made an emotionally raw, extremely intimate, if not epic, dream pop record.

Nina Kholsa’s gentle and sweet vocal style perfectly fits the upbeat energy found on the pop tracks. A constant heart beat, pulsating through the music, enhances the intimate nature of the songs. When Tim Issac adds back up vocals and/or when Nina and Tim sing to each other…the band soars. There are moments when I can hear similarities to bands like Stars and Postal Service, but those bands do not have the intimacy heard in Lovestorm’s music or their LIVE performance. In fact, you have to see them to believe it. Not only is their music deeply personal, their LIVE performance is captivating. Watching two people deeply in love, creating music in front of your eyes while Nina and Tim get lost in each other gazes, is unique and provides an organic experience on an electronic musical bed. Watching Nina dance and play keys, while Tim plays the Cello in staggeringly inventive ways, is astonishing.

“Free to Love’ is truly a summer record and Lovestorm has created one of most addictive pop records of the year. These guys have a rich palette to work from and have brought something much needed in the music scene – a highly personal, inspired work of art that is incredibly danceable. My favourite tracks are Rejoice, Beauty, and I Want to be Your Angel.

Tim Rayne