Song You Need: Låpsley is falling but in control on “32 Floors”

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Holly Fletcher, aka Låpsley, has always had a weightless and emotive voice that cuts through the noise and makes perfect sense on club tracks, though she has never fully embraced the position as a dancefloor diva. Her 2016 debut Long Way Home featured the song "Operator," expertly remixed to maximum effect by DJ Koze, yet her follow-up album Through Water was a more subdued affair, closer to ASMR than DJ sets. Now she is back with new song "32 Floors," a lowkey dance track that weaves a subtle charm while retaining her heavy-hitting emotional themes. When you expect her to zig, Låpsley, it seems, will most likely zag.

This latest twist suits her as she locks in on themes of love, obsession, and submission in a romantic relationship. "I free fall down these 32 floors and I land in your arms," she sings. "That’s trust." The self-produced track, created alongside Joseph Brown, also acts as a showcase for Låpsley's skill at building a track. Where Through Water moved slowly and created space, "32 Floors" fills things up with neatly interlocking synths and drums. The clean palette remains, however, with that vital sense of openness retained. The result is space for an subtly unpredictable artist to carry off her latest pivot with apparent ease.