Alice Phoebe Lou – ‘Oblivion’ album review: a moment of bliss in a world of chaos
Alice Phoebe Lou returns with her sixth yet first self-produced record, Oblivion, which displays the raw simplicity of finding yourself through the clouds of a maturing perspective.
The Skinny: A record that knows exactly what it wants to be, Oblivion looks at the haunt of things that could have been, all while bringing it home to something far more intimate, far more beautiful than what-ifs and possibilities. Through soft deliberations and sonic tenderness, Alice Phoebe Lou grounds self-security with quiet consideration about the true essence of simply living and loving.
Across 11 tracks, Alice Phoebe Lou tackles the beauty of figuring things out, her gentle vocals and piano notes washing over easily, like the soft sway of looking inward and finding everything you need there. This isn’t a record that tackles the satisfaction of knowing yourself, but of lingering at the threshold of everything that makes you who you are and finding hope, even when things are confusing.
The nuanced dynamics of tough relationships drift to the surface on tracks like ‘Mind Reader’ and ‘The Surface’, while tracks like ‘You and I’ provide the ideal backdrop to basking in the warmth of those much-welcomed slow-paced moments of gratification.
‘Pretender’ is an impeccable display of an artist who knows exactly who she is at this particular juncture, while ‘Darling’ looks at the magic of heart-eye moments and stepping into something new.
The Verdict: Oblivion takes the confessional poetry of artists like Joni Mitchell, the vocal tenderness of Billie Eilish and combines those with the calm, collected lament of storytellers like Leonard Cohen.
It’s timelessly charming in its own confident intimacy, a moment of complete bliss in a world of chaos.
Defining song: ‘Old Shadows’
Release date: October 24th, 2025 | Producer: Alice Phoebe Lou | Label: Nettwerk
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