Today marks the release of Open the Door, the long-awaited debut album from Lazy Day – the moniker of London-based songwriter Tilly Scantlebury (they/them).
Fans of Lazy Day will find the buoyant, earworm songwriting here in full force, amped up via Scantlebury’s own production and more adventurous light-and-shade singing. Eleven tracks of contemplative yet powerful indie rock lavished with a close, atmospheric warmth that echoes the album’s emotional sentiments – of giving, of exchange, of cutting some slack for yourself and others. This is music that speaks directly to you – music for living to, music to feel acknowledged by, and music that will make you happy to be yourself, steady and sparkling and sure.
Speaking of the album’s name, Scantlebury offers:
“The title Open the Door captures the throughline of tension of the album. It’s not just an invitation, it’s also a demand. But at its heart, the record offers an optimistic point of view. There’s a sense of urgency to it all. A great feeling of wanting to be in the world, and having no time to waste.”
To celebrate the occasion, they share new single ‘Squirm’ alongside a visualiser directed by Mars West. ‘Squirm’, an infinitely infectious highlight of the album throws the door open to many of its key motifs: an ode to fighting through adversity – internal or external – to eventually carve out a space for yourself in the world, something Scantlebury achieves by the song’s close.
“Writing Squirm really highlighted just how much worry I’d been keeping in my head, and that I’d got used to playing a part, like a well-rehearsed role,” explains Scantlebury. “The song questions the cost of this kind of performance, and a vulnerable worm wriggling around in the dirt was a great image for that. But I love that by the end of the song it’s Sunday morning and I’m kissing in bed. What a turnaround. A good reminder that things can change, quite seismically. There’s a real sense that the door is open and I’m finally ready to step through it.”
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