At the age of just 19, Maya Lane has rapidly established herself as one to watch, with her vocals and songwriting being compared to the likes of Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves and Joni Mitchell. Now the London-based singer-songwriter has released her debut EP, ‘Childish Games’, produced by Grammy and BRIT Award winner Jonathan Quarmby.
The four-track EP opens with ‘Still The Same’, which sees Lane reminiscing over a failed relationship. Her mix of mellow acoustic guitar and drum machine effects put me in mind of Ed Sheeran’s early work, and the clarity of her vocals works beautifully to highlight the contrast between the song’s upbeat melody and wistful lyrics. You can really feel the resignation in her voice as she sings about leaving her old life behind and looking back at old photos whilst wearing her ex’s T-shirt. Her harmonies are also absolutely gorgeous and the song draws you in with its depth of feeling before ending on a note of strength.
One thing which really struck me about the EP is how mature Lane’s writing is and how she’s not afraid to talk about challenging issues in her music. The dark, 70s folk-influenced title track deals with the end of a friendship, whilst Lane also wrestles with the fear of missing out – ‘soon be turning 18 and I’m scared of wasting time’, she sings, alluding to the short career span of many musicians, before her sad, sweet vocals take off over a lush bridge layered with piano and strings. Meanwhile, ‘When You Need Me’ sees her paint a detailed musical portrait of her younger sister as she faces the challenges of teenage life. It’s a warm, affectionate track with a message of hope throughout and I loved the birdsong at the start and end as well, which give it an organic feel.
The EP ends with ‘Closing Down’, a significant departure from the earlier tracks, which sees Lane adopt a uptempo, rocky sound with driving drums that echo Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’. Her defiant lyrics, which see her talking about her experiences with depression, have a fiery energy to them and there’s a real sense of empowerment about the song. It’s one I can see sounding great when it’s performed live and makes me excited about where she might go in future.
Overall ‘Childish Games’ serves as a strong introduction to Maya Lane’s sound, with a variety of 70s folk and rock influences, sweet vocals and lyrics that belie her age and make her stand out from the pack. She’s got real potential to be a big star in the coming years and I’m already intrigued to hear more from her. Here’s hoping there won’t be too long to wait before she’s out on the road and recording some more music!
Track list: 1. Still The Same 2. Childish Games 3. When You Need Me 4. Closing Down Record label: 7 Sister Records Release date: 2nd September 2022
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