On September 12, LASTELLE’s Exist Vol. II was finally released!
Having enjoyed Exist Vol. I last year, I was excited to be asked to review Exist Vol. II! In both EPs, LASTELLE aimed to tackle the hard-hitting topics like loss and vulnerability. This particular volume aimed to challenge toxic masculinity. Once more, I feel like it’s done that well.
The tracks portray emotion well through stylistic differences. Exist creates a soft feeling, with a heavy tone. The use of screaming in Tired Eyes and Bitter Seeds truly presents the pain of loss, and the hurt of losing something you’ve worked hard to attain. For Tired Eyes, that’s a relationship. The Silence Hurts Most II is the definition of ‘grand finale’. A seven-minute track, that wraps up not just Exist Vo.II, but the whole of Exist. It begins so gentle, before kicking in fully. It alternates between singing and screaming, and calms down in the middle, continuing the spoken conversation we hear in Bitter Roots.
LASTELLE tell a story full of pain through Exist. A year’s wait was worth it for Exist Vol. II. It’s yours to hear now!
