Shadows (Lenka album)
| Shadows | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 June 2013 | |||
| Genre | Orchestral pop | |||
| Length | 41:13 | |||
| Label | Skipalong | |||
| Producer |
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| Lenka chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Shadows | ||||
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Shadows is the third studio album by the Australian recording artist Lenka, released on 2 June 2013 by Skipalong Records.[1][2]
Background
Shadows was recorded while Lenka was pregnant with her first child, a context that influenced the album's intimate and reflective tone. Departing from the more upbeat style of her previous releases, the album features orchestral arrangements and lullaby-like qualities, with songs such as "Two Heartbeats" incorporating personal elements like the recorded in utero heartbeat of her baby.[3][4]
Promotion
To support the album, Lenka held a virtual concert via Stageit, performing from her backyard in Sydney.[4]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [3] |
AllMusic's Matt Collar described Shadows as a lush and melodic orchestral pop work with vintage influences. Departing from the bubbly pop of her earlier albums, Lenka explores a more psychedelic, '60s and '70s-inspired sound reminiscent of Donovan or Nick Drake, while still maintaining a modern sensibility.[3] Chad Gorn of MXDWN described the album as a departure from her earlier upbeat and catchy pop sound, shifting instead toward a softer, lullaby-like style influenced by her pregnancy at the time. While he acknowledged her initial breakout with "The Show" and her continued indie credibility, he felt that Shadows lacked the engaging energy of her past work.[5]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Lenka Kripac, except where listed.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nothing Here but Love" | 3:30 | |
| 2. | "Faster with You" |
| 3:42 |
| 3. | "Heart to the Party" |
| 3:05 |
| 4. | "After the Winter" |
| 3:32 |
| 5. | "Find a Way to You" | 3:46 | |
| 6. | "Honeybee" |
| 4:19 |
| 7. | "No Harm Tonight" | 4:12 | |
| 8. | "Two Heartbeats" | 4:05 | |
| 9. | "Monsters" | 2:28 | |
| 10. | "Nothing" |
| 4:23 |
| 11. | "The Top of Memory Lane" | 4:12 | |
| Total length: | 41:13 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Dreamer's Serenade" | 2:10 |
| Total length: | 43:24 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from AllMusic.[6]
- Tracy Bonham – violin
- Gavin Brown – vocals
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Lenny DeRose – engineer
- Jonathan Dreyfus – violin
- Jean Philippe Goncalves – bass guitar
- Graham Finn – guitars
- James Gulliver Hancock – artwork
- Zoe Hauptmann – bass guitar
- Paul Herman – composer
- Lenka – vocals (all tracks), glockenspiel, instrumentation, keyboards, organ, piano, producer, synthesizer, vibraphone, wurlitzer
- Danny Levin – horn, horn engineer
- Pierre Marchand – producer
- Rich Mercurio – drums
- Francois Plante – vocals
- Zac Rae – composer, drums
- Jason Reeves – composer, background vocals
- Maxime St. Pierre – flugelhorn
- Kevin Salem – bass guitar, composer, engineer, guitar, keyboards, noise, percussion, producer, programming
- Thomas "Tawgs" Salter – composer, instrumentation, producer
- Tom Schutzinger – bass guitar, composer, drums, engineer, guitars, keyboards, percussion, producer, strings
- Pascal Shefteshy – engineer, acoustic guitar
- Doug Yowell – drums
Charts
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[7] | 22 |
References
- ^ "Shadows - Album by Lenka". Apple Music. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ Arditya, Andreas D. (12 May 2013). "Lenka: On the verge of someone else's dream". Jakarta Post. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ a b c Collar, Matt. "Shadows - Lenka | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ a b Woods, Mickey (12 April 2013). "Need Some Charm to Start Your Weekend? Hear Lenka's New Song "Heart to the Party" Here First!". Glamour. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ Gorn, Chad (19 June 2013). "Lenka - Shadows". MXDWN. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ "Shadows - Lenka - Credits - Allmusic". AllMusic. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ^ "Lenka Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021.