Polly Louise Mackey, the musician and producer known as Art School Girlfriend, has released her third full-length album, Lean In. The record arrives as a self-produced exploration of a period Mackey describes as one where "everything around me felt fragile." The result is a nuanced electronic pop album that balances introspection with expansive soundscapes.
Moving from a bedroom recording setup to a full studio, Mackey has broadened her sonic palette on this latest project. While the opening track, 'Doing Laps', begins with synths that mimic the sound of rainfall, the album quickly demonstrates its versatility. The record navigates a wide range of styles, from the pulsing, hypnotic beat of 'LYATT' (an acronym for 'Love You All The Time') to the funk-infused basslines found on tracks like 'The Field' and 'The Peaks'.
This musical variety serves as the foundation for the album's core theme: the simultaneous experience of conflicting emotions. Mackey notes the album was born from a time of "Grief, joy, love, anxiety, hopelessness, hopefulness." This emotional complexity is evident in the tracklist, which places upbeat, rhythm-driven songs alongside slower, more contemplative pieces like 'Save Something' and the closing track, 'Framer'.
A Queer Artist's Perspective
Mackey, who identifies as a queer person, has often discussed how her identity informs her work. While she aims to write songs from her personal experience rather than setting out to create explicitly "queer songs," her perspective naturally shapes her music. Her previous album, Soft Landing, featured 'Heaven Hanging Low,' a song celebrating queer domestic love, and 'Yellow Light,' which reflected on the challenges of a queer adolescence.
This connection to the community extends beyond her music. Mackey is married to fellow musician Marika Hackman, and the two have collaborated musically. During her time living in Margate, UK, she also ran Spine Books, a queer bookshop, further cementing her role within the local community.
Lean In continues this thread of authentic storytelling. It is a record that doesn't offer simple answers but instead provides a textured, electronic soundtrack for navigating life's complexities. By combining vulnerable songwriting with sophisticated production, Art School Girlfriend has crafted a cohesive and compelling body of work.
