LYVES

For a moment, it looked like London-based Lyves AKA Francesca Bergami was just a flash in the pan. After releasing the beautiful ‘Visions’ and bagging herself a spot on Reading and Leeds’ BBC Introducing Stage last summer, she just disappeared. It’s enough to make any cynic think that that’s all she had in her.

Luckily, that’s not in the slightest bit true. Lyves has returned with another striking single in the form of ‘Shelter’. Simple yet no less devastating, the track is the perfect showcase for Lyves’ often heartbreaking, soulful vocals.

Her voice, bringing to mind Jessie Ware at her most arresting, glides through the track; a mesmerising display of Lyves’ biggest strength. The piano arrangement and sparse, skittering beats, coupled with the odd shot of glittering synths, are kept to a minimum, allowing for a serene backdrop for Lyves’ vocals to play around in.

With a new EP, from which ‘Shelter’ is taken, on the way, it’s great to know that Lyves wasn’t just a one-hit wonder and we can look forward to yet more beautifully simple tracks on the horizon.

Words by Chris Taylor

Tipped by Mattia from Going Solo and Natalie Graham from Believe Digital