Sumie digs deep on Lost in Light, but could go deeper...

Similarly to on her self-titled debut, Sumie continues to master her craft by writing angelic folk songs. However, Lost in Light struggles immensely to achieve a point of interest due to its lack of imagination. Its songs remain commonplace, proving detrimental for Sumie as she attempts to make headway as a prolific songwriter.

Sumie hits her respective marks on Lost in Light. Her vocals haunt and her dexterity is masterful. While songs like “Night Rain” and “The Only Lady” have bits and pieces of instrumental advancement that round the record into something more substantial, her album remains static, and its rudimentary style is what suffocates it from excelling into something larger.

While its simplicity may satisfy some, one cannot help but want more – stronger configuration, more vitality, or even a sense of urgency, but instead, Sumie opts to firmly plant her feet and stay close to what she already knows. While there is solace within routine and structure, it also has the potential to damage rather than elevate – a gamble that she has difficulty struggling to maintain and essentially loses out to.

Despite its number of setbacks, it is admirable that Sumie hasn’t abandoned her roots entirely; she sticks to familiarity and abides heavily to it – something worth noting, but while the album battles to make its way, her efforts aren’t entirely lost. Brief moments show that she is conscious to excel her song structure – to fashion it thoughtfully. The album’s closer, “Walk Away”, is a concluding reminder of this – although sparse, Sumie adds essence. She gives it color and for a small moment, her work is transformed into something divine.

With that comprehension, there is prospect that she can insightfully reevaluate the large gaps – and in doing so, she’ll be able to harness her writing and tackle it more critically and captivate her audience. If that self-desire and aspiration continues to manifest, Sumie has all the power to be a shining force within her realm of writing and create something extraordinary, but at her pace, it’s difficult to say if she’ll get there anytime soon.