Bakar - Halo

Just over a year on from his stellar full-length debut 'Nobody's Home', the enigmatic Bakar has returned with highly-anticipated second album 'Halo'. A kind of instrumentally stripped-back cut, this new record is ambient, down-to-earth, and introspective.

What stands out most, as is also the case with his wider discography, is Bakar's eloquent, mature, and no-frills approach to his songwriting. He sings what he feels and tells stories in his songs in a way that's so genuine it cuts straight to the core. While the record might not be the most risk-taking, there's a refreshing comfort found in the collection's lean towards stripped-back simplicity.

Just as the record lyrically explores the dichotomy between living a classic musician's 'lifestyle' and the pervading loneliness that being on the road can bring, the sonic diversity of the tracks mirror this emotional conflict. Songs like opener 'One In One Out', 'All Night' and 'Right Here, For Now' create moments of faster pace with fleshed out instrumentals, distorted guitars and quick backbeats; while 'Selling Biscuits' and 'Hate The Sun' have a more bittersweet, melancholic sound.

'Alive!' is a highlight for its evocative, poignant acoustic melody, cymbal-heavy drums, and pretty harmonies; with the synth sounds swirling around on the sonic periphery adding a lovely touch. Lyrically, the track also captures the feelings of loneliness and longing that the album explores in their most poetic.

Be it drinking your morning coffee or looking longingly out of a car window, 'Halo' is a reflective album that radiates a comforting warmth; and Bakar's songwriting talent speaks for itself.