Tiny Little Atlases opens with 'I Remember', a piece composed for viola and cello. The track, which like the rest of the album is short, still establishes a palette for the record which follows, and flows in to the equally ethereal 'November'.
'November' introduces Lowe's delicate vocal style, a sound which she enhances with her own backing vocals. Lyrically, the song follows a dream-like state, which is reflected in the layered and ever-changing musical backdrop. Strings swoop in at the onset, followed by some back-played samples which drift in and out of the mix, whilst the climatic chorus introduces a more hard-edge rock sound created through the use of distorted guitars.
Foggy Mornings
'November' reflects a keen interest in varying styles, a desire to not stick to the usual guitar-driven style of recent debutant singer-songwriters. Even when Tiny Little Atlases does feature the guitar as a lead instrument, as in 'Out Of The Loop', Lowe plays some production tricks with samples of trolleys, bins, and crickets to give the song a little edge and dynamicism.
The melancholy 'Foggy Mornings' mixes emotive strings and Lowe's voice to great effect, whilst the understated use of a glockenspiel and a faint trumpet hook bring the track to life for its finale. The track morphs into 'The World', a sound collage made of short-wave radio recordings, morse code, and some distorted guitar, a reflection of the experimentation which bubbles throughout Tiny Little Atlases.
With 'Cloudless Skies' Lowe expertly understates her vocal, creating an ethereal sound which, allied with ebow and acoustic guitar, successfully evokes a clear, hazy summer's afternoon spent staring for hours up in to the perfect sky above.
Bat For Lashes
The electronic beats synonymous with new acts such as Bat For Lashes and Ladyhawke can be found on 'Sunrise', although it is embellished with suitably detached vocals and strings. 'Carnations' features only voices, but allows the focus to pass on to the eclectic and individual tone of Lowe's lyrics.
Brian Wilson's quest for the right sound - evidenced in his use of theremins and bicycle bells in addition to guitars and drums - is found on 'Of Landscapes', a track which features engaging guitar work as well as a do-it-yourself approach to percussion. Much like Robert Wyatt, the sounds were created from various table tops and places around the house.
'Another Morning' tackles the marimba briefly, before the engaging 'The Scarecrow' manages to mix the imaginative splendour of a Miyazaki animation and the transcendental nature of Indian and Eastern philosophy through the use of a tabla and slightly mischievous guitar.
Epilogue
'Epilogue', fittingly for the final track, brings together the elements of Tiny Little Atlases into one fitting whole. The strings sweep through, the vocals adding extra height to them, with the ever-present guitar adding a grounding touch whilst the track takes off an experimental interlude.
Tiny Little Atlases is an example of a new singer-songwriter who, in Sophie Lowe, does not restrict herself to doing solely that. The album is awash with experimentation and an enthusiasm for music and sounds which is rarely found on a debut release.
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