Music Monday #35: Some Things by Lasgo

I think I am far enough into this list to start throwing you into the deep end of my music library, not by a definition of profundity and meaningful lyrics but rather in terms of the fact that Electronic Dance Music [EDM] as mentioned a few times features quite heavily in my music library.  In fact, EDM really does make up the "deep" end of my library because of how much of it there is in there.  Compilations are very common in EDM so albums by single artists of groups are a rarity but the first I want to include here is 'Some Things' by Lasgo which was released in 2001.

Lasgo's members changed a few times over the years, at the time the band was fronted by Evi Goffin who was backed at the time by producers Peter Luts, and David Vervoort better known as Dave McCullen.  Some Things came into my life in 2004 three years after its release I first heard it through LaunchPlayer which was a music streaming service by Yahoo that served in many ways as the precursor to Spotify, it became the first music service to legally offer unlimited music for a set monthly fee.  It was also the first online service I came across that let you listen to music and suggested music you might be interested in based on that taste, so in many ways Lasgo is the first band that I discovered thanks to algorithms - Youtube didn't exist yet, that came later.

The quasi title track of the album is called 'Something' and it connected with me instantly because the lyrics are about loving someone does love you back but does not express it, not quite unrequited love, but rather unreciprocated love or withheld love.  The lyrics "I can see it in your eyes, There is something, Something you wanna tell me, I see it in your eyes, There is something, That you hide from me" this spoke volumes to me because of a lot of emotions I was processing which I have already discussed at length in previous posts touches on the complex relationships gay men form particularly in environments where it's not so easy to express yourself openly and feel safe in the process.  'Something' however set these lyrics against electronic beats, percussion, and synthesised sounds that were instantly stimulating to me, I immediately sought out the album to hear the other tracks and that day at lunch in college I went to HMV with a friend and he bought the album for me when he saw it, for that reason the album still makes me think of him when I hear it.

I played the entire album to death, I listened to the whole thing back to back on repeat for what must have been weeks.  Every single track on this album I love, and I would not change a thing.  I later went on to follow their career and consume their music for years to come.  Lasgo serves as a seed for me when I use new music services that offer music discovery Lasgo is always the band I start with to see what it suggests based on that taste because it serves as the perfect entry point into EDM which is also why it's the first "pure" EDM album I've included on this list.

Evi is lead vocalist on every track except 'Cry' and 'Don't Belong 2 U' both of which Dave took lead vocal on.  An honourable mention here is made to a solo single Dave released called 'Rave Heaven' which has gone on to feature on countless compilations and serves as one of those EDM tracks that anyone who follows EDM will instantly recognise.  Dave has had other solo works and produced remixes for other artists over the years but Lasgo still remains the thing I know him for most. 

My favourite track of the entire album is 'Follow You' which again reflects the feeling of wanting someone so much that it hurts, the lyrics "I wanna be with you, I wanna follow you, I wanna be with you wherever you may go" sum up just how strong that feeling can be and how much you wish the idyllic life you picture together with them could replace the life you live.

Lasgo's music is upbeat for the most part, some tracks they have produced reflect something darker but it's always set against a progressive electronic style.  An honourable mention here also goes to their second album, 'Far Away' which I was tempted to also include as I love the whole thing from start to finish but there are other artists I want to feature.  I will give mention to 'Surrender', 'Lying', and 'Tell Me' from that album all of which I adore, particularly 'Lying' which deals with the complication of relationships when other people start to interfere with them.