New Music: Sasha Assad – La La London

For all its inherent joys, London can be a difficult place to find your feet and your tribe – take that as the experience of someone who lived there twice, fleeing to the north each time!

Sasha Assad looks at the travails of living in England’s capital on La La London – the high rent, poor housing, and expensive transport. The lyrics are deceptively biting, the melody is alt/indie-pop at its most upbeat, and the vocals have an almost-romantic quality that makes the track come across as a love (/hate) song.

It also has subtle nods to a particular London strain of Britpop: the sudden fade-out, the catchy chorus, the sharp licks and street-savvy vibe. I doubt Sasha Assad actively dislikes London, but here, she shows that she is aware of the costs of living in such an exciting and often rewarding place.

“This track is pretty much a diss-track to the city I call home – London,” says Sasha of the song on which she also supplied the drums, lead and bass guitars, and percussion. “It’s a song for the working-class heroes of London.”

La La London and Assad’s back catalogue are streaming on all digital platforms, including Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud. Keep in touch with Sasha Assad by following her on Facebook or Instagram.

Header photo by Erin Slater