Track by Track is a recurring feature series in which artists share the story behind every song on their latest release. Today, easy life break down their new album, MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE…
There’s something comforting about easy life‘s homespun sound: the drums are crisp and worn, the keys and guitars flutter in a dreamy glow, and frontman Murray Matravers rounds out the band’s energy with clever, intimate verses, stuck halfway between hip-hop and indie rock. As far as bedroom pop goes, easy life have been major champions of the vibe-centric formula since their 2018 debut mixtape, Creature Habits. But now, easy life have moved far beyond their bedrooms to a breezy, escapist world for their second album, MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE…, out Friday, October 7th.
The Leicester quintet, rounded out by drummer Oliver Cassidy, bassist Sam Hewitt, guitarist Lewis Alexander Berry, and keyboardist/percussionist Jordan Birtles, perfected their unique storytelling style on their previous album Life’s A Beach, but this time, they move away from the grey malaise of their hometown towards a more hedonistic, fantasy world of their own creation. More so than with their earlier records, easy life approach darkness and regret in a much more daring way, and the resulting tracks are some of their most dynamic to date.
It’s undoubtedly an ambitious turn from easy life, but they pull it off with vigorous confidence and a stylish sense of cool. They’ve recruited fellow bedroom pop artists BENEE and Gus Dapperton as guests on MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE…, as well as BROCKHAMPTOM’s Kevin Abstract, and these collaborations help add detail to easy life’s close-knit sound.
About the collaboration with BENEE, “OTT,” Matravers tells Consequence that “her voice is like water, it’s so fluid and mellifluous. It was honestly a privilege to work with her, she’s a homie and a real queen of melody.” And regarding the Gus Dapperton collab, “ANTIFREEZE,” Matravers had nothing but great things to say about the rising indie rock star. “It was extremely collaborative,” he says. “He’s a creative force like no one else I know.”
Between the warm, funky guitar work of “MEMORY LOSS,” the irresistibly thumping groove from “BASEMENT,” and the tenderness of closing track, “FORTUNE COOKIE,” MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE… is a satisfying step forward for easy life, and demonstrates the band at the peak of their songwriting prowess.
Listen to easy life’s MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE… below, and read Matravers’ breakdown of the album. You can also pick up tickets to the group’s 2023 US tour via Ticketmaster.