There must be a specific kind of magic that comes with taking your life back into your own hands after a breakup, as Luna Li’s ‘When a Thought Grows Wings’ really solidifies a testament to rebirth. After an eight-year fallout, this album lets her thoughts bloom, transforming vulnerability into the most artistic form of music. This release sits in a dreamlike, tranquil space, balancing big transitions, big decisions, and an ever-growing connection with the world and communities surrounding her. Join me in reviewing this incredible sophomore album and how Li navigates life’s perils. Let’s grow into it.

An enchanting opening that pulls you in immediately, Confusion Song swipes us into an uncertain space. The opening ‘I thought we were taking space’ really sets the tone of this one. It’s an instant deep dive into the aligned (or misaligned) understandings of a relationship. The production is glossy like silk, with a harp-like delicacy underpinning the song, but beneath the beauty lies conflict. There’s uncertainty, a clear disconnect between her and her ex-partner, emphasized through the repeated questioning, ‘how do you see it?’. This opener is pretty much the sonic equivalent of standing in the same room but speaking completely different languages. At just 3 minutes in, we’re already hyper-involved with Li’s narrative. Yikes.

Fantasy then exists in a somewhat suspended space hovering between dreaminess and desperation. It has a smooth rhythmic quality with syncopated drums and a fairytale-like atmosphere. Though, as much as the production is soft and whimsical, the lyrics are laced with tension. The poetic gut punch of ‘fear tastes like berries stained on your mouth’ really twists the dreamlike state into something darker. Put this on a poster. And also then the final line, ‘you can never win,’ leaves us with an ominous sting. Ouchy.

Leaning into a groovy, jazzy composition, Minnie Says (Would You Be My) is Li’s dedication song for American soul singer, Minnie Riperton. Throughout, her admiration is so clear. The song is effortlessly cool, especially with the stripped-back, hypnotic loop of ‘would you be my lullaby?’ existing plainly as the chorus. She’s really holding onto the things that make her, her – this track being a quiet yet firm assertion of that.

Following this, the album’s thematic heart really beats on Golden Hour. Drenched in natural imagery, Li constructs lyrics like ‘when I met you in the meadow, the sky lamented for us both.’ The sheer personification here is a masterclass in storytelling, and the production really anchors this too. We hear organic sounds throughout like acoustic guitars, live drums, and piano chords played with a light, wet touch.

The chorus exists simply, yearning and repeating ‘just a little bit more of your love,’ which really gives this track a delicate and soft character. The outro then swirls into a layered ’round’ as crunchy guitars take center stage and a 60s psychedelic influence rises to the surface, *chefs kiss*.

Fast forward, and I Imagine is a solid piano groove. Suspended in its third, this track is pretty much weightless. Luna’s voice is now closer than ever to the mic and there’s less reverb, more intimacy, and imperfections are left in deliberately. This track cleverly captures the obsessive nature of a crush: ‘you played a funny character in my dreams last night,’ while also capturing the essence of how a person can create the ‘idea’ of somebody. Are we getting voyeuristic here?

A reversed reprise and footnote to its predecessor, Enigami is pure dream-state. The production is minimal, with just harps and synths carrying the short track, but it’s all it needs to create a utopian quality. The lyrics are a stream of imagined beauty, and it’s clear the floodgates have opened on this one, as Luna daydreams, ‘I imagine harmonic bliss, I imagine a floral kiss.’ Mwah.

Probably the most commercially accessible track on the album, That’s Life is the ultimate ‘let it go’ moment. Out of exhaustion, Li mentions, ‘you know, I’m letting go, I just can’t be bothered anymore,’ and there’s a real self-help quality to the lyrics. To the future, Li prospects, ‘will this matter in a year or two?’ as if preaching advice from generations before her, and you know what? Solid advice. Would recommend. The production leans into psychedelia again, with minor progressions creeping in the pre-chorus to add tension, but the verses drop us back into that airy, liminal, and liberated space again. The tug-of-war is real.

Next up, I Would Let You exists as a pretty strong manifesto for life. Li lays out her philosophy: ‘I would exchange comfort for freedom,’ pretty early into this one, with glimmering flutes and an uplifting production to symbolise hope and healing. Despite the joyous production, though, there are still ideological struggles at play, referenced through Li giving up her own self in the lyrics ‘I would exchange you for me.’ This one is a devotion, a struggle, and a self-reclamation wrapped into one.

With woodwind instruments and a classical elegance, Take Me There sees Li torn between truth and self. The change and imbalance in her lyrics spell out her inner conflict: ‘trying to stay grounded in truth while I’m wandering onward with you.’ There’s an enchanting quality yet again here, but as the strings descend and drop-off halfway into the track, so too do the ideas at hand. Defo one to explore further.

Just quickly, Fear is an Illusion! is a gorgeous intro to the final track to follow, and pretty much serves as a mere 17-second instrumental phase for us to take a breather. But boy do we need it…

Where all thematic threads intertwine, Bon Voyage presents itself as a real triumph filled to the brim with love, loss, uncertainty and fear. Throughout, Li doesn’t frame this ending as heartbreak, but as a ‘sweet conclusion’ with constant tug-of-war lyrics encapsulated in that ‘you told me fear is an illusion’ mantra. It’s a farewell, but it’s also a reflection on a time where she was halted in a relationship.

The stunted growth mentality has been a common theme of this release, and I’m glad we see some cathartic meaning as this release comes to an end. Being able to move on from this idea so purely to live in a dreamlike state is the perfect resolution to this self-discovery release.

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This LP is the perfect example of how captivating arrangements can really enhance storytelling. We’ve been on a journey full of natural imagery, relationship struggles, vivid imagery, and dreamlike states. Li’s vision for the future is artistic and indulges in honesty, both in her lyrics and ideas, but also in the production and composition. This record truly is a story of growth told through lush soundscapes, proving that when a thought grows wings, it really does soar.