The Last Mixed Tape reviews One, the debut E.P. from singer/songwriter Senita Appiakorang and Limerick producer Graeme S’s collaborative project, Lakerama.

There is an ineffable creative spark at the centre of One, it permeates from the glitching beat backdrop to the at-ease R&B vocal and everywhere in between. The result of a well match collaboration, Lakerama’s sound works due to what both artist bring to the table.  In this way One never sounds like a mishmash of ideas, and rather a joining together of musical outlooks.

Starting from the skipping afrobeat rhythms of ‘Audition’, the record spans out sonically. Merging electronica and house into the mix, Lakerama open-up the sound of One to create something vivid and inviting.

Both the percussive production, offset by crunching synth, and soulful vocals work in equal measure to deliver very different aspects to the music. In songs like ‘FOMO’, the beats have space to them allowing room in the production itself, while Senita’s voice remains up-close and personal.

With that being said, ‘Take’ serves as the E.P’s unrivalled stand-out. All points converge on the track’s vibrant, yet serene, sound with each element of Lakerama’s music working together in tandem to create the high-water of One.

Music needs new ideas and pathways to discover, this can come in a various guises but is especially satisfying when two artists find common ground to create something different. This is indeed the case with Lakerama. And while some work is still needed (in terms of making the experience more impactful) all the tools are there to make music that speaks to us of the “right here, right now”.

Rating: 9/10

One by Lakerama is out now via bandcamp.