The new song from She is a solid offering, but is it ambitious enough?

Cool, collected and captivating; the appeal of She‘s brand of whimsical dreampop is fairly self-evident. The implied grittiness and infectious melodies of previous singles Body Talk and Howl have given the outfit a strong start, but latest single Lay Low takes the band to another level.

Where previous singles have been imbued with a noticeable energy that is urging to break out, Lay Low breaks the mould by being more introspective. Rather than offering a sound that sweeps listeners up, Lay Low engulfs in a blanket of sound that swirls, encircles and ensnares you in the midst of cascading guitar lines, haunting vocal repetitions and a steady rhythm section.

This is a standard dreampop approach for songs where lyrical meaning and sentiment take the fore. Lead vocalist Rebecca Davies has said that, “This track is about my relationship with God. It’s a hot topic that everyone has an opinion on and religion shaped a large part of my childhood so i’ve always kept it in mind… I find faith interesting and my own personal frustrations in the subject are explored in this song.”

This sentiment does loan strength to the song and make the feeling of near-euphoric release feel more significant. In many ways, this sets She on the right path to success in the indie-alternative scene.

The only thing that really stands to the song’s detriment, as has been somewhat noticeable in the past, is the power of the track’s production. The drum lines, for example, feel too subdued and lack the punchiness that would push it into the realms of being a hit.

Structurally, the song is sound and has all the makings of a fan-favourite, particularly when performed live and given the sense of ambition and kicks of energy needed to elevate it to the next level. But certain aspects – such as the chorus and the climactic instrumental that closes out the song – need to be better represented in the mix to truly reflect the song’s potential.

That said, this is a new side to a band that, three strong singles in, doesn’t feel like its just regurgitating sounds or phoning it in. She has potential and Lay Low brings the band one step closer to dreampop excellence.