Sia's latest release, Some People Have Real Problems, is an endearing collection of songs from a woman who is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Her lyrics are heart wrenching, to the point of cringing at certain points of brutal honesty. Her purring vocals gently slur over lyrics, sitting somewhere between a placated Karen O and Gin Wigmore without the idiosyncratic pitch changes.

Most of the songs are down beat numbers, so this is not a record for someone looking to dance about and feel empowered. Opening with Little Black Sandals, the repetitive refrain is pressed into our memory as she convinces herself to walk away from someone she loves.

Songs that bring in the strings become all the more powerful, Beautiful Calm Driving features gorgeous quartet strings along with a strong piano, which layered with Sia’s deep voice feels empowering and haunting in equal amounts. Sia’s voice gradually builds to a shivering crescendo, sealing the album with a reassuring acoustic guitar disappearing into the darkness.

Other moments of the album seem to jolt out of the passive sleepiness of the record, the standout being Playground, a jaunty song that builds up into a faster tempo, whilst wishing for the return to childhood.

Sia’s lyrics are deeply personal, and sometimes become unintelligible in her mumbling. This doesn’t detract as much as disinterest, with her voice becoming lost in the mix. The record lacks a variety in rhythms and tempos.

Nonetheless, Some People Have Real Problems can be considered as Sia’s most well-rounded record, where the sorrowful and the joyous mix together for a more balanced outlook on life, love and loss.

Some People Have Real Problems by Sia is available now from Inertia Music.