Lala Lala has always sounded like an artist in motion, but with Heaven 2, Lillie West’s restless energy takes on a new clarity. The Chicago-based songwriter’s Sub Pop debut arrives February 27, and its latest single, “Arrow,” offers a vivid snapshot of where she’s landed: much more open and brimming with momentum.
“Arrow” is the fourth track to preview Heaven 2, and it feels like a release valve snapping open. Built around a quick-footed groove and a sample from French electro-pop outfit La Femme, the song moves with purpose, charging forward rather than looking back. There’s a genuine sense of exhilaration in its speed and a feeling of escape into new possibilities. West’s voice stays warm and grounded even as the track rushes ahead, a contrast that’s become one of her great strengths.
Lyrically, “Arrow” circles around the humbling realisation that control is mostly an illusion. When West sings, “None of this was supposed to happen,” it lands less like regret and more like wonder. That same tension runs throughout Heaven 2, an album shaped by the understanding that you can’t outrun yourself, no matter how fast you go. The old aphorism “wherever you go, there you are” looms quietly in the background informing the albums emotional arc but never weighing it down.
If earlier Lala Lala releases thrived on urgency and unease, Heaven 2 is energised by a new relationship to stillness. West has spoken about her long-standing need to keep moving, both geographically and emotionally, but this album reflects the surprising creativity that can emerge from settling in one place, or at least from trying to. There’s still a fair bit of push and pull that gives the songs their shape, this time out though she’s balancing immediacy with patience.
The album was co-produced by West alongside Melina Duterte of Jay Som, whose touch brings a muscular precision to the arrangements. The production is punchy and warm, providing a sturdy framework for West’s melodic instincts. The pair handled the bulk of the instrumentation themselves too, along with thoughtful contributions from collaborators like Sen Morimoto, Macie Stewart, and Porches’ Aaron Maine, each one adding their own splendid texture to the songs without over-crowding them.
“Arrow” follows on from earlier singles “Does This Go Faster?”, “Even Mountains Erode,” and the title track, each revealing a different facet of Heaven 2’s emotional terrain. Taken together, they point to an album less concerned with finding answers than with learning how to live comfortably alongside the questions. Occasionally though it’s fun to run joyfully straight through them.
Heaven 2’ Tracklist
1. Car Anymore
2. Even Mountains Erode
3. Arrow
4. Tricks
5. Scammer
6. Heaven2
7. Anywave
8. Does This Go Faster?
9. This City
10. Wyoming Dirt
Lala Lala Tour Dates
Fri. March 6 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah %
Sat. March 7 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy + Harriett’s %
Sun. March 8 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress %
Tue. March 10 – Austin, TX @ 29th St. Ballroom %
Wed. March 11 – Dallas, TX @ Rubber Gloves %
Fri. March 13 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall %
Sun. March 15 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court %
Tue. March 17 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall %
Wed. March 18 – Seattle, WA @ Baba Yaga %
Fri. March 20 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe du Nord %
Sat. March 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room %
Tue. March 31 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd*
Wed April 1 – Raleigh, NC @ Kings*
Thu. April 2 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy*
Fri. April 3 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Altar*
Sat. April 4 – Nashville, TN @ Blue Room @ Third Man*
Tue. April 7 – Minneapolis, MN @ Zhora Darling*
Wed. April 8 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club*
Thu. April 9 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall*
Fri. April 10 – Detroit, MI @ Lager House*
Sat. April 11 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison*
Sun. April 12 – Montreal, CA @ L’Esco*
Tue. April 14 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair*
Wed. April 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA*
Thu. April 16 – New York, NY @ Nightclub 101*
Fri. April 17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right*
% = w/ lots of hands
* = w/ mother soki
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