For some reason, I can’t pinpoint how I first discovered Luvcat, the persona conjured by Liverpudlian musician Sophie Morgan. Somehow, “Dinner @ Brasserie Zédel” made its way to my headphones with this sprawl, a message of longing and image conjuring an opulent night in Soho, and I was promptly hooked. A quick delve into what else was on offer, I discovered an artist who had forged a sound from rich hooks and lyrics which bridge worlds of sinister and lavish.
Vicious Delicious, Morgan’s debut as Luvcat, pieces together all those factors which drew me in the first time around. Enter a gothic cabaret, soundtracked by a musical concoction of playful lyrics and swirlingly eerie-turned-catchy melodies.
Opener “Lipstick” swings open the door of the cabaret with might. It’s strange, glamorous and romantic all at once, with flutters of a brass section piercing through a tale of desire. “Alien” is perhaps more inviting, moving away from the peculiar to a glitzy snapshot of atmospheric guitar riffs accompanying all too familiar themes of not quite fitting in amongst your surroundings.
“Matador” re-establishes the unusual by entrance of a tangy banjo riff, which remains throughout the song’s run. Lyrical highlights are defined with imagery, scenery, story and metaphor bursting through the seams of each sentence, uttering the devastations of unhealthy relationships. A standout for the record.
“Dinner @ Brasserie Zédel” continues to exhibit the appeal it held on my first listen. It’s bold, bashful and is heightened even further within the placement of its surroundings. We move on to “He’s My Man,” a divine offering which is subtle in its splendour as we spend our time building up to a euphoric pinnacle.
Title track “Vicious Delicious” and follow-up “Love & Money” both churn twists on the modern indie genre. The former carries this infectious beat to coincide with compelling chord sequences. The latter is lighter, with this dream-like sound which floats amongst the pound of a drum.
“Spider” begins with an ominous prowl summoned by a music box, which fades to the play of delicate piano keys and guitars. A gentle sway graces the entire song, though once again we are building to the song’s final moments, where distortion rips through.
After a gloomy interlude offers some relief within “The Kazimier Garden” (named after a bar in Morgan’s hometown of Liverpool), “Laurie” glides in with a slower pace, deliberating what-ifs. Morbid at moments, but with honesty, it’s a heavenly shift from the decorum of before.
Closer “Bad Books” rounds off the album the way it began. It’s theatrically dark, dingy and decisive. Its chilling with groove and ends the album with calamity as a chaotic piano solo partners with the relentless thrash of a drum kit mixed up in energy.
“Vicious Delicious” is perhaps the perfect debut. Here, a musical dissection has occurred, pulling apart genres and intertwining findings to inform a sound which stands out amongst its contemporaries. The hum of jazz is merged with the grit of grunge. The prowess of baroque pairs with the scape of indie. It’s ambitious but never feels overbearing. If this is our first slice of what’s to come, Luvcat is sure to be a name to look out for.
Luvcat: Vicious Delicious – Out 31 October 2025 (AWAL Recordings)
