Ambar Lucid dropped her latest project, Garden of Lucid, which is filled with her theme of melancholy, bilingual lyricism blended beautifully with soft instrumentation.
The New Jersey artist gained attention upon her 2019 release of Dreaming Lucid, which includes her most streamed track, “A letter to my younger self.” The popular track was released as a single in 2018, and Lucid wrote it when she was only 16 years old. Her music is unlike much that’s out currently. She blends R&B with a bit of a pop-rock influence. Lucid released an impressive number of ballads prior to Garden of Lucid, and the new project does not disappoint.
Lucid has also released a fair number of striking visuals, including a documentary titled Llegaron Las Flores about her experience with spending years in America without her father, who was deported to Mexico. The emotional documentary highlights the journey leading up to the father-daughter reunion.
“Questioning My Mind” is the third track on Garden of Lucid, but the song dropped as a single in 2019. Lucid’s ability to switch up from English to Spanish in just one line is beautifully shown on this track. The track is about a significant lover who has faded away, leaving her confused and unseen, but it’s genuinely difficult to listen to this song without dancing.
Lucid sings at a high tempo, “You got me questioning my mind (Aaah) / Leavin' me thoughts that aren’t so kind (Aaah) / ¿No ves que yo te veo a ti? (Aaah) / But there are other ones to see (Aaah).” She is explaining to her significant other that she still sees him and cares for him, but if he does not see her solicitude, she has other options.
“Shades of Blue” is a low tempo, gloomy track in which Ambar explains how different lovers from the past have made her second-guess her personality. Throughout the lyrics, she attempts to balance wanting someone to love and not wanting someone to try to water down her character. She is a nonconformist, and it is hard for her to find anyone who understands her mind the way she knows herself. That is the reason she often sings about losing understanding of her own mind.
Lucid sings slowly in a downbeat tone, “No me vas a entender / Yo se que todo tanto duele / Would I forget you, but I just can't let you / Take away my immunity.” She is explaining that she is broken herself and can no longer spend her time trying to fix someone else who does not understand her. She knows that the difficulty for her significant other to grasp her mind and feelings is nearly impossible and painful, and it is sadly for the best for each of them to go their separate ways.
“Universe” is Lucid’s best song lyrically on the album, and the tempo is more upbeat despite the slightly sad lyrics. In this extraterrestrial-themed track, she claims she is a free spirit and does not want to be tied down with one person. Listening to this song feels like leaving Earth and floating in space with the stars away from all of life’s problems, especially with her angelic vocals.
Lucid sings in a carefree tone, “Mi magia te ha cambiado, yo lo siento / Siempre cambio yo me muevo como el viento / I belong to the universe; I belong to the universe / I don't belong to anyone else, no.” She is apologizing to a significant other for changing him with the enchantment that surrounds her soul and personality. She claims that she changes like the wind, and it is impossible for her not to keep on moving, no matter who or what is left behind.
All in all, Garden of Lucid is an awe-inspiring addition to the indie artist’s already impressive discography. The nine-track project highlights the artist’s experiences with having a mind like no other that makes love hard for her. Her lyricism has always been impressive, but there is a noticeable improvement on this delivery compared to past releases. Lucid has a bright future ahead of her in the music industry.
