Alternative Hip Hop from Lucid Letters

Lucid Letters is the creative alias of UK-based singer-songwriter and producer Caryl Archer, an artist whose work pairs reinvention with continual experimentation. Based in the small town of Fleetwood in Lancashire, she’s been crafting her sound for over two decades, drawing inspiration from innovative artists such as Björk, Imogen Heap and Utada Hikaru, alongside a wealth of independent artists who take a hands-on approach to both songwriting and production. That steadfast DIY ethos has always been central to her output, translating to a career that constantly develops while always offering something new.

Before taking on the Lucid Letters banner, Caryl released music under her own name, but in 2019 she made a pivotal decision to reframe her artistic identity, stepping back in order to fully reset. This pause led to her transformation into Lucid Letters in 2020, a rebrand that marked a new creative chapter that allowed her to embrace a more electronic-focused direction.

She introduced the project with the record Portmanteau, followed by the We Are Now EP and the single “Delighted,” each expanding her new sonic world while still collaborating with other independent musicians. Now, Lucid Letters returns with her new single titled “Briefcase,” the first track from her forthcoming concept album CHAOS ERA, her first full-length project since her 2005 debut.

Blending 90s-inspired hip hop with her own left-field stylings, her new single brings the shuffle of old school rhythms, immersive instrumentation and expressive vocal performance that bends between hushed rapped delivery and smooth melodic hooks. As she puts it herself, the premise almost feels like it shouldn’t exist; “making 90’s inspired hip hop as a middle-aged white woman from the north of England.” It’s this disarming honesty, paired with self-awareness and sharp execution, that makes “Briefcase” such an engaging musical offering.

The track arrives towards the end of CHAOS ERA’s story arc, where the character of Lucid Letters, a kind of meta-self played by Caryl, begins to embrace uncompromising creative expression. Set up by conversational vocal samples, the rustle of percussion and filtered vocal lines are met by the hazy pulse of grooving bass lines as the arrangement tumbles into a laid back alternative hip hop jam.

Progressing with moments of dreamy pop-focused vibes where soulful vocal leads hover above mesmeric instrumental textures, the verses of brushed drums and bouncy rhythms add slick ebb and flow throughout. It’s a superb new jam that showcases the range of Lucid Letters’ sound tinged with the artist’s avant-garde approach. With the CHAOS ERA LP on the way, she’s set to present a concept album built from the ground up, bringing together early self-produced sketches that trace a journey of self-discovery and self-destruction.

Commenting on her foray into rap music, she shares, “My only connection is that I just really like it. You can say so much in a short period of time compared to conventional singing. I realise I can only make this kind of music because of the communities and cultures who developed it, groups I wasn’t raised in. This song is a sharp head jerk in the direction of these facts. Maybe it’s a little sheepish too, in between bursts of confidence.”

Listen to Briefcase below

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