Call it swagger, call it cool, call it whatever you like. When you have "it", it should not be contained. Meet Me in the Sky by Northern Lights is oozing with that thing that listeners will like, and it is hard to argue against it. Perhaps the biggest point of contention is that the music comes and goes too quickly.

If there is a sticking point with a cappella that I will defend till the cows come home, it is that you cannot manufacture energy. It has to be authentic, and when it is good, you feel it. Meet Me in the Sky is bursting with energy!

One Dance sets the precedent that the Northern Lights are here to party, with a grooving hip-hop vibe and beat. The group is so artistic as the two leads match style and exchange soulful goodness, in a sort of ping-pong effect. What also makes the track so exhilarating are all the moving parts surrounding it by the backing group, whose blend, deep layering, and vocal techniques keep your ears engaged until the group blows out your speakers with their show-stopping ending. It is truly an immaculate performance.

As for the cool factor, the opening track foots the bill. However, it is not the only moment that embodies this. Feelings is more obvious and apparent in its appeal. While it is more pop-centered, it charts its own course with edgy production, most notable in the track's rhythm section, where the bass absolutely crushes it vocally. The backing voices shine as they make their presence felt through larger-than-life vocal attacks, electric dynamics, and one heck of a breakdown section. Take all of this, and add on the fact that the leads are just too fun to listen to, and you have a winning track.

One thing that works beautifully on Meet Me in the Sky is the Northern Lights's ability to take heavy musical concepts and songs and flip them into pulse-pounding moments of wonder. King and Jealous are two moments on the album that accomplish this feat. King has such a dark tone, yet the pounding percussion and abundant moments where snippets, mid-verse, sound and feel like song-closing ideas are remarkable. Jealous is ripe with heartache but still feels light and awe-inspiring in the hands of the Northern Lights in a unique way that I have not heard in other covers of the song.

This may be subjective, but there are some tracks where the pacing just feels off on the album. Conceptually, Skate is impressive, but feels as if the tempo is too fast. Where is Love? suffers from being a bit too fast with its beats per minute. The emotions in this song could be more impactful if the group just took its time to lay back in the pocket.

Meet Me in the Sky is a joy to listen to, as youth and vibrant singing are in demand in a cappella. Listeners will be pleased with what the Northern Lights have produced.

Meet Me in the Sky is the latest release by award-winning British a cappella group, Durham University's Northern Lights. This deeply impressive album combines ambitious, brilliant arrangements with fierce, commanding soloists. The production work by Adam Critchlow, Nathan Cave, Jonny Stewart, and Bill Hare is spotless and unobtrusive, allowing the listener to revel in natural warmth of the singer's voices. With covers of Drake, Silk Sonic, Maroon 5, Labrinth, and more, Northern Lights is performing at the highest level and the results are stunning.

One Dance perfectly sets the mood for Meet Me in the Sky with Lucie Fletcher and Lengana Mashaphu's seductive solo performances. The arrangement captures the sensual nature of the original while expanding the once sparse instrumentation into more complex, exciting textures. Keeping with this flirtacious theme, Skate features a solo performance by Sam Jones that'll give Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak a run for their money. Feelings showcases the arranging talents of Nick Lau, coupled with solo performances by Tomos Owen and Lucille Richards — and the results do not disappoint. The arrangement is an emotional rollercoaster, always leaving the listener to wonder where the Northern Lights will lead us next.

Where is Love? is a welcomed juxtaposition from the previous three tracks. A luscious interpretation by Will Geraint Drake highlights the lyrics in new and unexpected ways. The track that follows, King, unites the aforementioned arranging talents of Lau and Drake. The arrangement is nuanced and powerful, demanding your undivided attention. A thoughtful albeit rushed cover of Jealous by Labrinth keeps the interest alive through the middle portion of the album. Masterful production by Critchlow saves this track, allowing it to serve as the warm, emotional center around which Meet Me in the Sky revolves.

The penultimate and, in my opinion, strongest track from this entire album, 365 checks all the boxes. Critchlow's production and Lau's arranging create the perfect backdrop for Olivia Spillane to give a solo performance that you'll absolutely fall in love with. Meet Me in the Sky concludes with a gorgeous take on What I Did For Love by Marvin Hamlisch. Filled with emotional intensity, this arrangement ties the entire album together in such a satisfying way for the audience. If you haven't checked out Meet Me in the Sky, I wholeheartedly recommend it!

I have been fascinated by the European collegiate a cappella scene over the past few years. Many groups feature a vocal jazz element in their performance, if not solely employ that style. Durham University's Northern Lights does a really fantastic job of incorporating this jazz element into the repertoire. The music is chromatically interesting while still remaining accessible to all listeners. If you're a jazz lover like me, it's an added little treat.

Let's start at the top. One Dance is centered around the theatricality of the piece and the musical build. The song starts off slow and introduces Lucie Fletcher as the belting lead. The chords start lush and slowly begin inserting more cluster chords and back-beat rhythms. Lengana Mashaphu is the main soloist, providing a smoother style. However, even with the smoother lead vocal, the background continues to grow, almost to the point of being sonic chaos. Just as the chaos becomes too much, the group uses all the momentum to propel itself into the climax of the piece. As an opening statement for an album, it could very easily be off-putting and feel like the group is a collection of singers and not a musical group. However, the sounds play together extremely well, and the result is a very solid opening.

This theatricality is sometimes the downfall for the group, especially if the piece doesn't embrace this theme and let the song breathe. Jealous is the best example of this challenge. This song is an incredibly emotional longing to be with a former lover. However, every part feels like it's constantly pushing forward. The soloists are providing a wistful lilting sound, but the backgrounds are consistently adding motion and pushing the song forward. The piece at times feels like the group is racing to complete a ballad rather than perform it. Because of this, the energy feels lacking at times, resulting in the climax of the piece not being totally apparent. By taking an opportunity to let the piece breathe and dig into the emotional moments, this piece could be flawless. It's good, but it's just missing something.

However, where this group gets it right are the two true vocal jazz pieces. Where is Love? and What I Did For Love are fantastic examples of what makes Northern Lights unique. These charts are filled with gorgeous chords, a fantastic balance of rhythms and counter-rhythms, and theatrical builds. Will Geraint Drake did a fantastic job arranging both of these pieces, taking a basic framework from Broadway musicals and making them into something spectacular. Vocal jazz isn't easy, but when it's done properly, it's incredibly satisfying to hear.

If they aren't on your radar by now, you should definitely check this group out and make them your introduction into what modern vocal jazz can be. There is complexity and richness, while still being impactful and attention-grabbing. Once you're done listening for enjoyment, use the album as a score study and figure out how they pulled off the vocal gymnastics. It's a welcome addition to any a cappella collection and one I think I'll go back to many times in the future.