It’s completely suiting that Eddie Johnston named himself after a butterfly: Lontalius. At the tender age of 19, he’s already gained support from Lorde and Secret Songs founder: Ryan Hemsworth. His debut album is called I’ll Forget 17, which is a cunning nod towards Frank Ocean. Being 16 or 17 usually tends to be the most confusing phase for most teenagers. You’re travelling through the threshold between childhood and adulthood, desperately trying to revise in order to get into your top choice university, trying to get a fake ID and then occasionally slipping into the mindset of a child, where the thought of being an adult scares you so much that you try to fool the bus driver by paying for a child’s ticket on the bus. Throughout the album, Lontalius muses on his experiences of first love, insecurity, confusion and heartbreak, but his heartfelt lyrics don’t make you squirm with embarrassment, rather, it resonates heavily with the listener.
The opening track ‘A Feeling So Sweet,’ guides us straight into this album. There’s a sense of ennui within Lontalius’ voice that compliments the minimalistic production before transitioning into melancholic guitar chords and live percussion. He tip-toes across the realms of indie rock, shoegaze and electronic music, with tracks such as ‘All I Wanna Say,’ and ‘Light Shines Through Dust.’
‘Selfless’ fully demonstrates Lontalius’ musicianship and unique approach to different genres. ‘All I Wanna Say’ is one of the highlights of the album. Synthesisers are sewed with Lontalius’ lethargic voice, as he sings the lyrics “And all I have to offer is my love / It’s not enough.” There’s a raw and honest pain lurking in Lontalius’ tone that creates an atmosphere of malaise; the angst of not being able to satisfy someone with your love is strengthened through the addition of chilling and serene violins appearing through the climax of the track.
‘Kick in the Head’ is filled with powerful imagery, where a feeling of unity is encapsulated throughout this track, almost as if it’s an anthem for the loners or the wallflowers, before catapulting us into a crescendo, supplemented by trenchant guitar strumming and airy synths with Lontalius’ dazed voice chanting the hook: “Stand for us or run from us / Stand for us or break our trust.”
After ‘Kick in the Head’ enters ‘Light Shines Through Dust,’ an atmospheric saudade, where Lontalius’ voice is submersed in reverb and delay, reflecting on whether he still harvests romantic feelings towards an old flame before switching to the stormy and ethereal ‘Selfless.’ After the cloudy ‘My Dreams are Dark’ then enters ‘Glow,’ an Unknown Mortal Orchestra-esque track with aggressive guitar strumming layered over Lontalius’ vocals, however it’s still contaminated with the gloomy and glittery production that stemmed from his previous works such as ‘Walk Me Home.’ The next track, ‘It’s not Love,’ shows off Lontalius’ diverse musicianship, the crisp sound of a piano and the sombre hums of a violin go hand in hand with the subtle drum programming.
Furthermore, there’s a massive contrast between Lontalius and other singer-producers, from Jack Garratt’s energetic ballads and James Blake’s ethereal soundscapes. But even with the use of electronic production combined with the use of live instruments, there’s still an organic vibe incorporated in I’ll Forget 17. The penultimate track, ‘I was More Than’ is an example of this, with piano chords layered over subtle and sudden guitar strums before completely transitioning to an airy and reclusive bridge with only Lontalius’ vocals prominent before quickly dying out to a short coda of child-like chime bells and then switches to the laggard and mellow closing track ‘Yr Heart is Beating.’
More importantly, I’ll Forget 17 proves Lontalius has evolved from a humble caterpillar who created covers of Beyonce, Drake or Taylor Swift. I’ll Forget 17 is the materialisation of Lontalius’ experiences, intricately woven into a sonically made cocoon. Now that he’s the age of 19, that awkward phase in his life that Lontalius survived, rewards him (and us) with this incredible piece of work; hence why it’s completely appropriate that Johnston named himself after a butterfly.
Words by Ethan H-L