Ama Lou – At Least We Have This

Twelve minutes and eleven seconds. That’s all the time Ama Lou needed to delicately intwine a whole host of talent, creativity and melody into her newest EP ‘At Least We Have This’. And, it’s true – at least we have this, these twelve minutes and eleven seconds. It’s been too long since Ama Lou’s stunning vocals have graced our new release radars. Now that they’ve returned, it’s more evident than ever before that her debut album ‘I Came Home Late’ will elevate the UK R&B standard to a whole new level.

It may be expected that after a two year hiatus Ama’s sound would have undergone a gradual development. Yet, no one could have expected the kaleidoscope of sounds and genres that are offered to the listeners of her EP. As each of the four tracks develop and evolve into one another it becomes clear that Ama Lou offers her music the freedom to constantly change. The end result is not only a beautiful listening experience, but an EP that proves Ama doesn’t hold herself to any expectations that people have for her music. As an artist, no limits can be placed on the direction she has for her art. It’s liberating, pure and honest. For this reason, ‘At Least We Have This’ glides through a variety of genres – such as drill, old school garage, soul and R&B. This genreless approach is reflective of an individual who, in the past and future, constantly learns and sources inspiration from different countries and cultures.

‘At Least We Have This’ offers definitive proof, if ever there were doubts, of Ama Lou’s creative range. Yet, it’s worth noting that each genre and theme is flawlessly executed and fine-tuned by Ama’s notorious husky voice and ethereal vocals. This voice imbues each track’s core with Ama herself. No matter how varied these tracks may be, the root of the EP is undeniably Ama Lou and clear connections are established between her music and the sounds influenced by her heritage, childhood and home. This comes as no surprise considering it’s the preface of an album titled ‘I Came Home Late’.

Listening to this EP allows you to become familiar with Ama Lou. You become familiar with nostalgic sounds that echo in a certain time and place, in her past, where she grew up. This insight offers a certain ease to her music – the riffs and runs flow and fit into place as the EP progresses. Ama’s ability to craft songs in this structure is perhaps how she manages to simultaneously instil them with feeling. It’s hard not to feel connected to her lyrics – often subtly, yet fervently, socially or politically charged – especially when they’re poured into her usual haunting melodies. 

‘At Least We Have This’ is a beautifully intricate EP and the perfect preface to a highly anticipated debut album. If these twelve minutes and eleven seconds are anything to go by, 2022 holds wonderful things for Ama Lou.

8/10

Words: Amelia Kelly

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