SoCal native Lexi Vega was raised by musicians and played drums for others before launching her own songwriting project,
Mini Trees. Her blend of angsty, '90s-descended indie rock and melancholy, synthetic bedroom pop first appeared on a pair of EPs in 2019 and 2020. Vega develops that sound further a year later on her first full-length release and Run for Cover Records debut,
Always in Motion. Produced by
Jon Joseph, who also worked on the EPs, the album was written primarily during pandemic lockdown. Penned in March 2020, when COVID-19 started shutting down the U.S., opening track "Moments in Between" captures a specific time of longing for both the past and the future. Plaintive acoustic guitar chords, reverb, and the singer's downcast, vulnerable vocal delivery begin the song, which soon adds electronic drums and layers of spongy and twinkling keyboards, creating a lush, yearning atmosphere that defines much of the album. When "Moments in Between" lands on its grooving chorus -- bass and drum kit included -- its lyrics switch from "drifting" and "waiting" to "Dreaming again" ("But I know that it's all in my head"). It sets the stage for songs with titles like "Doomsday" and "Numb," the former an unpredictably bouncy, uptempo entry that observes "Everyone's nervous these days." While still wrestling with uncertainty, "Spring" later delves into whether or not a relationship can endure self-improvement. Its relaxed tempo and relatively sparse band arrangement turn down the lights and turn up vulnerability ("So tell me, when you fall asleep, are you still next to me?").
Always in Motion ends on the warbly "Otherwise," whose programmed drums, murky synths, pitch correction, sighs, and wind chime-like detailing contribute to a dreamlike design that envelopes vocals by the end of the song. Not especially concerned with hooks, the set's wistful melodies, cushiony current, and grooving low end carry listeners along through a distinctly immersive debut. ~ Marcy Donelson