For his sophomore full-length,
Run Fast Sleep Naked
, the Australian singer/songwriter formerly known as
Chet Faker
sheds that moniker, embracing his real name and a more confident approach. Less
James Blake
and more
James Arthur
,
finds
Nick Murphy
in a warmer, more soulful space, the clinical chill of his debut left back in 2014. That album's "Cigarettes & Loneliness" was an accurate harbinger of things to come, a lively prelude to the overall tone of
Run Fast
, which humanizes his former sound with organic instrumental and vocal backing, light synths, and playful beats. Co-produced with
Dave Harrington
, the effort was born from
Murphy
's self-reflective travels around the world and completed in Brooklyn with a full orchestra, a team of musicians, and a choir. The fresh direction is summed up in opening track "Hear It Now" when
declares "I made plans to be myself" atop a triumphant swell of ethereal harp, angelic choir, and dramatic sax blares. The driving "Harry Takes Drugs on the Weekend" pops with quirky horn jabs and a heavenly organ, while the intense production on "Sunlight" combines funk groove with digital synths. This colorful sonic palette informs the entire album, with each song standing out from the next, veering from rousing ("Yeah I Care") to introspective and vulnerable ("Novacaine and Coca Cola") in an instant. There's plenty to dissect on
, with subsequent listens revealing new layers and surprises. With this deliberate rebranding to a more authentic self,
delivers a more genuine vision that is satisfying and brimming with imagination. ~ Neil Z. Yeung