LANY released their second studio album “Malibu Nights” on October 5th. The second album of a band is always an important one. It is the indicator of whether a band is here to stay, or if their moment in the spotlight is gone. LANY has proved they have a lot more to offer with this album.

This album was released right after lead singer Paul Klein’s very public breakup with pop star Dua Lipa. The sorrow and heartbreak bleeds through the album. You can feel the pain Klein is experiencing and you can’t help but feel for him. You can tell he is truly heartbroken. All of these feelings of loss and depression culminate in the song “Malibu Nights.” This is arguably the saddest song in the album, and it’s hard not to shed a tear while listening to it. The song explores the raw and fresh emotions Klein felt after the breakup. The shock, confusion and despair are quite evident. When he sings “I got way too much time to be this hurt/ Somebody help, it's getting worse / What do you do with a broken heart?” these emotions can be truly felt within the listener.

Even with the intense sorrow of the lyrics, an ounce of hope breaks through the sadness. In the song “Thru These Tears” Klein sings “In the end I’m gonna be alright/ but it might take a hundred sleepless nights/ to make the memory of you disappear/but right now I can’t see nothing through these tears.” While melodrama and pain are the main motif of the album, hope shines bright as well.

Fans of LANY’s first album will love “Malibu Nights.” It retains the dream-pop sound, that I have previously said about them, sounds like driving down the highway on a summer evening in California. This album will draw you in with its slow beats and its flowing melody’s. This style can be seen in the track “If You See Her”, which is my personal favorite song in the album. The vocals intertwine with the instrumentation and are backed by a very simple electronic drum beat. The song is very minimalistic, but that is what makes it so memorable. This is LANY’s classic style and they cemented it with not just this song, but with the album.

LANY wasn’t afraid to experiment with new styles in “Malibu Nights.” The song “Run” shows just this. You can still hear their iconic style, with the fluid vocals and minimalistic instrumentation. However, some interesting styles can be heard. There is an unmistakable trap-beat in it; a broken down one albeit. Heavy bass and snapping drums give it this style. While it doesn’t sound like Migos, you can tell they got inspiration from this genre. Also, the melody is very reminiscent of 90s R&B. It almost feels like they took TLC’s iconic “No Scrubs” and gave it their own LANY twist.

This album is exactly what LANY needed. It cemented their sound and they started experimenting with new styles. It is a raw and meaningful album, and it makes me extremely excited for the next projects they have to offer.