8/10

For an artist like Lauran Hibberd, it feels like a studio album should have already been a given by now. Since early 2018, she has been on a prolific run, delivering high-energy and impactful singles almost every other month, resulting in a sprawling back catalogue of dozens of offerings. But after last year's 'Goober' EP saw her rise to her highest heights yet, it felt the time had finally come to unveil her long-awaited debut album 'Garageband Superstar', a record that looks to cement her glittering legacy to date.

Since she first emerged, Lauran Hibberd has been a fresh and distinctive name on the pop-rock scene. Largely influenced by the driven pop-punk sound of the 90s, her sound regularly breaks all commercial intentions of what we should expect from her, and this is exactly what 'Garageband Superstar' is all about. With the title itself a clear nod to her DIY approach to both recording and marketing, this new twelve-track collection feels completely free of major label interference as Hibberd breaks free with her vibrant and catchy energy, something that is instantly infectious from the very start.

She is clearly someone who knows exactly what she wants and how to deliver it as 'Garageband Superstar' stands as one of the more enjoyable and exciting releases we have heard so far this year. Frenzied and boisterous as often as possible, she is continuing to build upon her sparkling buzz these last few years and unleash a bold and enigmatic series of anthems from start to finish.