Maggie Rogers maintains her potential in debut album 'Heard It in a Past Life'

Album artwork for Maggie Rogers' 2019 debut album 'Heard It in a Past Life'

Perhaps known best for her single 'Alaska' which not only caught the attention of producer Pharrell Williams, but also indie-pop fans across the world, Maryland native Maggie Rogers is kicking off 2019 with a debut album. With a build-up of anticipation created by the popular tracks she released in 2017, we at Offbeat have been itching to hear what she has in store for us with this new album.

'Heard It in a Past Life' does its best to match the standard of her prior EP, and delivers on songs such as 'Say It' and 'Give A Little', featuring lofty vocals and an irregular but catchy techno beat. There’s a little more production gone into this album than the last, which almost detracts from Maggie’s unique, simplistic sound, but might have been a strategic move to get herself in the charts.

Her vocals are still as impressive as ever, with 'Back in My Body' serving them great justice. This album sees a shift into balladry which lingers on imagery more than perhaps maintaining a remarkable sound. However, we can’t help but be intrigued by her blend of indie and folk-pop which reminds us of Haim’s 2013 album 'Days are Gone'.

As much as I like the sound of tracks such as 'Light On' and 'Overnight', they seem underwhelming compared to the hits that gained popularity before the album was released.

It would have been nice to hear more of her less conventional melodies and looping samples that we know compliments her voice so well.

The album as a whole pads out what we know already as a flourishing discography, but leaves room for improvement. However for such a new artist, we’re not expecting a perfect album, and the potential she shows in her incredible vocal range and talent for song writing is definitely exciting.

Listen to Heard It in a Past Life here on Spotify.