London alt-pop act Japan, Man released their debut album Metropolis.
Japan, Man is fronted by Lebanon born Laeticia Acra with production from her uncle and collaborator Julian Cassia.
Laeticia takes her life experiences and feelings into a world of its own. Through her love of music, Laeticia navigates the uncertainty of a new city and life as a teenager.
“Most of the songs were written in my first year in London, after living in Lebanon for most of my life. Moving was a huge change, especially at such a crucial time of social development.
The Lebanese way of life had been all I knew for as long as I could remember, in all its beauty and chaos. But suddenly, I found myself standing like a deer in headlights, suddenly in this cosmopolitan world, where people were loud and bold, and I quickly started feeling more and more comfortable with myself, and who I really was. I was learning how to survive in a setting where everyone so desperately wanted to be ‘someone’, and to survive in that environment I realized I needed to claim all my imperfections as a part of me, and puff my chest out, and enjoy myself, unapologetically. And that’s exactly what I did.”
Laeticia Acra
Album closer and focus track ‘Shit Scared’ sums up Metropolis perfectly. Honest and relatable and it feels like you don’t want the album to end.
“When the fear is there it can be so real, and so mortifying. We are social creatures, and crave interaction, our allergy to loneliness is in our DNA, or mine at least. But I think I’ve come to terms with it more, and more, as I’ve gotten older. I used to be so obsessed with seeming like I had friends, even though they didn’t make me feel very good about myself, just out of the fear of being alone.”
Laeticia Acra
Metropolis is one of the best debut albums to be released this year. Japan, Man’s sound is like a jam session with laser focus and flawless production. Smooth vocals and unique instrumentals transports you into Japan, Man’s universe. Metropolis is just one world that Japan, Man has revealed and definitely not the last.
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