Review: DOUBLE LIFE, leo&hyde - EP
Award winning writing duo leo&hyde have released their latest concept EP – double life, which features collaborations with various artists on tracks including:
double life - APW (alias of Andrew Patrick-Walker), an established R&B powerhouse, vocalist, song-writer and artist. The song is about the isolation that can be felt from social media, bringing his lived experience of a queer working-class boy from Manchester together with his life as a theatre performer.
sooner/later – Featuring Luke Bayer and Anthony Rickman, it’s a quirky duet about making connections within the LGBTQIA+ community in the 21st century and the pair bring their talented personalities to the track.
game over – Heartache in a virtual world where in reality it is lethal. It’s an emotional rendition of the pain of past experiences. KUSH is a musician and actor, having had a stint in Bollywood before being signed to Simon Fuller and Geri Halliwell for five years and going on to appear in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, originating the role of Salah.
rain before the rainbow – Jacob Fowler uses his lived-in experiences of male body issues within LGBTQIA+ communities alongside mainstream pressures. Jacob is a rising star in both pop and musical theatre, having appeared in Heathers, Dreamboats and Petticoats and Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
the power – An empowering track, Robin Simoes da Silva reminds us that as creators we can choose what we write as our narrative, challenging ideals of masculinity to become inclusive of diverse and unique bodies.
Carrying important messages of acceptance and the right we all have to challenge the ‘normality’ of our society, it’s a collaboration of clever lyrics, amazing vocal talent and a new generation of writing.
Whilst the style of these tracks could be seen as primarily aimed at a younger audience, it is entertaining and educational (as only art can be) for everyone who is willing to listen to these voices.
Dealing with relatable issues of body dysmorphia, LGBTQIA+ issues and the understanding of us all as individuals in a unique and entertaining way, the music is memorable and a really easy listen. We highly recommend you check them out, Besties.
Good for your soul and for your mind!
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin
For more information on leo&hyde, follow them at @leoandhyde