Aquilo - ii (Album Review)

Only a year after their debut, Aquilo are back with another creative but limited dream pop album. 

Coming into this album with high expectations of the duo, I was initially disappointed with the overall quality as there were certain songs that definitely lacked something for me. After many, many repeated listens I have had a change of mind. The problem is not with the whole album, it's with Side B. Being an album that's split into two parts I'll give two separate ratings of each and then and overall rating. Let's get into the songs:

The lead single and first song on the album is 'I Could Fight On A Wall', a beautiful ballad with great production and percussion. It's comparable in ways to London Grammar's 'Rooting For You', being another emotionally driven song with excellent but background instrumentation. This leads into the second and more successful single 'Thin', a catchy and well produced pop song with some amazing lyrical and instrumental flow. 

'Ghost' is the third song on the album and is fun and slightly summery with some really proficient storytelling. Since their debut I definitely think Aquilo have improved their lyrics and style pf writing songs which really shines in the stunning ballad that is 'Six Feet Over Ground'; its heart - wrenching lyrics and sparse instruments make it gorgeously devastating. 

Side A finishes on 'Who Are You', a simpler, poppier song with a catchy chorus and good percussion. Side A overall is a collection of some of Aquilo's very best work. 9/10.

'The Road Less Wandered' interestingly features Bruno Major, a minimalistic R&B singer in a sort of similar vein of music to Aquilo. Unfortunately, he doesn't do anything for me on this song. It sounds like one of Bastille's ballads from their second album which is not a compliment. I dislike the flow, it's so inelegant and I find the production clunky in places. This has to be the weakest song on the album.

'Silent Movies' is a fine enough song, it just doesn't grab you as much as songs on Side A, which can be said for most of the songs on Side B. 'Now & Here' being an obvious standout on the latter side with some really good production and lyrics. 

'Seagull' is a summery jam with a killer chorus and instrumentation, I'm sure I'll come back to it throughout this summer. 

Side B closes out on 'I Lost A Bet', a poweful ballad that's good in every way, it just isn't as good as 'Six Feet Over Ground', the standout ballad on the album. Side B overall is a weaker but still impressive collection of songs with good production but weaker moments. 7/10.

Aquilo's sophomore is a really good album with an unfortunately weaker latter half that doesn't do enough to be as good as the former. 8/10.

Rated worst to best:

10. The Road Less Wandered

9. I Lost A Bet

8. Silent Movies

7. Who Are You

6. Seagull

5. Ghost 

4. Now & Here

3. I Could Fight On A Wall

2. Thin

1. Six Feet Over Ground