LACES turns capitalist chaos into alt-pop catharsis on 'WORK'

LA’s LACES, aka the fearless shapeshifter also known as Jessica Vaughn, has returned with a defiant punch in the face to grind culture. On her seven-track stunner 'WORK', she upends the endless cycle of productivity and perfection, gleefully lighting it on fire and dancing in the ashes as it plays.

From the first beat, 'WORK' feels like an adrenaline shot to a burnt-out soul. 'Hard Work' opens the gates with raw vulnerability, exposing the quiet slog of love behind the pretty Instagram moments.

Then there’s 'Open for Business', where she transforms scars into armour and survival into a battle cry. The track pulses with determination, as if she’s daring you to underestimate her (spoiler: don’t). 'Salt' swings in next like a barbed-wire lasso, tearing into the self-appointed kings and queens of the corporate throne room. It’s sharp, scathing, and deliciously fearless.

But she certainly knows how to balance rage with release. 'I Quit for Summer' is a shimmering explosion of freedom. It’s the sound of ripping off the name badge, ditching the endless meetings, and sprinting barefoot into the sun. Meanwhile, '15 Minutes' offers a sly, self-aware wink at fame’s fleeting promises, the crash after the high and the empty echo after the roar of applause.

In 'Extraordinary', Vaughn strips back the noise, delivering a soul-baring moment of vulnerability and empowerment. Here, her vocals shine like an open wound kissed by salt water; painful, but cleansing. Closing with 'Women’s Work', she ties the EP together with a fiery anthem that flips the middle finger to every outdated expectation women are forced to carry. It’s righteous, riotous, and deeply satisfying.

Vaughn’s lived experiences course through every verse and chorus. But instead of sinking into bitterness, she transmutes pain into bright, crackling anthems. Delivering a manifesto and celebration of messy, unfiltered humanity. It dares you to step off the assembly line and build your own throne out of sweat, tears, and glitter.

For anyone exhausted by the hustle, ready to reclaim their own narrative, or simply looking for an electrifying alt-pop release that doesn’t pull its punches, 'WORK' is a must-listen.