Astronauts (feat. Sherlyn Veronica) : LMI
Featuring Disco Hue songstress Sherlyn Veronica, Astronauts’ latest, LMI, might be their best quality recording to date. Being one of their slower numbers, the track is substantially more appealing than their previous single, No Pretense.
Astronauts’ long running problem has always been singer Ben Jacob Lee’s vocals, lacking the charisma or virtuosity to carry its lofty funk and R&B ambitions. Thankfully, the presence of Veronica on the track rectifies this issue for the most part, bringing a much needed sense of character within the track’s strained relationship-driven narrative. Here, Veronica’s vocals are arresting – even more so on the track’s sparse opening. LMI also features some of the slickest production yet from the band, striking a perfect balance of understated keys, dramatic string stabs, and bopping 808s.
Most prominently, the solo’s guitar tone and articulation during the solo is fantastic. However, it is the shame the song overstays its welcome, with yet another chorus kicking in after the guitar solo, diminishing much of its impact.
That being said, the track’s overall production and songwriting seems to be tailored towards a listening experience on streaming platforms, which feels like a shame considering the band’s roots in emphasising the live experience. Having seen the band since their start when they were still BJ and the Astronauts, live performances still seem to be their forte.
LMI is honestly not a bad song, but it suffers from being too generic – too aligned to its aesthetic influences like Jamiroquai or Anderson .Paak. If it's played on the radio, Singaporeans wouldn't know that a local artist produced this.
In the end, Astronauts' latest offering unfortunately feels like it was crafted around a carefully designed R&B formula, resulting in something that lacks its own identity. Although the band has proven their worth in the local circuit, especially with their live work, LMI feels like Van Gogh's The Mulberry Tree – for an artist establishing itself, it doesn’t leave a particularly strong impression, instead sounding more just like another song by another band.