RAVEL LUMBA – SOFA SURFING – NEW SINGLE REVIEW

Whilst frequenting the London music scene there’s a chance you’ll find someone that piques your interest.

That’s exactly what happened to me with folk/pop/indie singer-songwriter Ravel Lumba. It was the weekend before Christmas, and a band called Albion were playing a London show. I met my good friend Steve in Camden before making our way to the Temple of Arts and Music at the Elephant & Castle.

We were both only familiar with the works of Albion, but always keen to listen to new artists and bands. Up first on the night was Lumba. Armed with just his acoustic guitar and witty charm he won not just us, but the room over.

Flash forwards a few weeks and the Midlands man has released a new single ‘Sofa Surfing’, as he builds towards the release of his third EP ‘Through the Deep End’, coming in March. Produced by Natt Webb, RatCat Studios.

The song itself draws inspiration from moments of feeling lost, moving between friends’ sofas and with no money, no stability and no clear way out. Focussing on heartbreak, addiction and the realisation that promises made in your youth may not come to fruition.

For me, it’s a disarmingly honest track, like a letter written once the dust has settled, rather than in the heat of the moment. This feels like a turning point, not just in the song but in Lumba’s life.

There’s a self-awareness that becomes action. Despite feeling the weight of past choices, you can feel a new version of Ravel Lumba being pulled through the song and into the forefront.

Musically, this track is upbeat and soothing. Although the drums aren’t booming, they take precedent early in the track as they rattle through a calm-paced pattern, soon to be joined by gentle plucks at an acoustic guitar.

He opens the track with the lyrics “Everything I’ve been told, now that I’m getting old. Don’t seem real at all.”. Lyrically this track holds introspective weight that contrasts against the soft rhythm of the instruments.

Talking to Songbird HQ about the track, he said “When recording back in November 2025, I said to my producer that I want an emotional weight, but with an upbeat, driving groove”.

He continued “I wanted something that would make people move without removing the melancholy feeling, allowing the tragedy of the story to sit front and centre”.

Ravel Lumba, now based in London, has been working on music professionally since the pandemic and has played across the city to find his sound. Sometimes he’s even played two or three shows a night, in the pursuit of honing his craft in real time, on real stages.

His songwriting is rooted in lived experience, using his music as way to process chaos, heartbreak, addiction and survival. He aims for an honest and unfiltered approach, nestled in strong, catchy melodies with a great truth behind them.