Blending a lot of the aesthetics of shoegaze that Scotland has always done so well into their background and overall textural aesthetics, while keeping sharp guitars and melodies at the forefront, Lucia & the Best Boys bring a powerful one-two punch. While the pop can at times be familiar, the band puts so much detail, scale and focus into their sound and overall instrumentation that you’ll get more lost in the sound than you’ll find issues with their writing.
“Back Inside My Heart” is practically shaking at the seams with its explosive electronic, echoing wall, while subtle string additions and huge vocals create this immense sound that you can explore like a cave for hours. The more rustic ends of their sound are tied into the crystalline amplifier tones on “Lonely Girl,” crafting something between The Preatures and power pop bands that came before them. And all this before the powerful duet vocal sections with CHVRCHES’ Lauren Mayberry bouncing off the track too. That twang gets louder on “Better For Worse,” where the band takes a seemingly one-note chug, and slowly builds it into this massive tsunami of a listen by the final chorus. From some Kate Bush-esque drums and a guitar line that would make the Drums blush, a run of Celtic tones starts to bleed into “You Look Like Somebody in Love.” This blend of eras and influences in such a punchy sub-three-minute pop track is so overwhelming that you’ll be knocked away, and replaying it again and again to get every instrument separated in your head.
From that opening wail into the jazzy piano, Soleil sets the vibe for a powerful crooner ballad on “Heart Strings.” Between the textures of the slick guitar work and the chocolatey piano lines, the track blends a classic lounge feel with a bit of John Legend. But it’s Soleil’s own vocal runs, and subtle harmonic layering, giving unexpected depth across several punctuated drops that makes this all the more special. Soleil also starts to take off and solo across this track, letting the piano and guitar take turns trying to match her ecstatic belts.
John Carpenter – Cathedral
Carthage, NY
After turning a dream into a graphic novel and writing music to match it, John Carpenter has essentially found a new muse for making soundtracks. Though it certainly leans into the loud metal-driven sounds Carpenter has taken into his live shows, he mixes it with a menacing swath of synths to send you on a visual journey long before you pick up the novel. The record sets off in his usual cinematic grandeur on “Primeval,” filled with his usual chunky guitars, and a blend of riffs and synth tones that feel inspired by giallo scores as well, particularly in the Dario Argento/Goblin sphere. You can feel an ancient evil awakening in the bones of “Inside Out,” but although that gothic metal stomp is fun, it’s the brooding piano bridge that really gives this track its standout serenade of iconic spooky glamour. You can feel a bit of “Big Trouble in Little China” crunch on “Elevator,” blended with a “Christine” drive and bit of eerie synth stings, though it’s fascinating how they’re spun in completely new ways together here. After a run of subtle melodies and growling starts, “The Ferryman” sets a new tone for the back-half of the record, angrier and more violent, but bubbling with otherworldly evil just the same.
Mixing a subtle Latin guitar line with a slow-drive groove and moody pianos, Roxanne brings a boiling heat on “Inferno City.” The track takes a long and sizzling approach, letting Roxanne’s vocals push the song along, amidst a hook that feels like a new twist on a mid-2000s Sean Paul groove. The beats and guitars slowly expand and ooze more life into the track, letting the fire grow until it’s unstoppable, and each note becomes more of an explosion than a simple glimmer in the dark. The track is a guiding light in the night, as you drive back, uncertain of what comes next.
Between a bit of a Big Thief flavour and her own ethereal ingredients in the rustic sound space, Australia’s Rowena Wise weaves a delicate album on her latest release. Though she often takes a slow and sparse approach, this restraint pays dividends as she slowly expands these feelings across the album to make rich mosaics that fill out the sound. “Home in This World” takes a seemingly bleak and all-too-soft performance and lets a heavy woodwind string combo really add this pained texture within the track that elevates its emotional wallop. Among the dancing guitars on “Sum of Two” that always seem ready to dwindle into the dark, Wise provides absolutely devastating vocals that fry in the best way, to feel on the verge of tears, but still strong enough to persevere. With a swelling of guitars and a small keyboard run, “Diamond in the Rough” brings a little Sharon Van Etten into the fray, and shows a powerfully loud range from this musician who usually thrives in making the most out of the quiet. The bright hope of “The Anchor” is itself a welcome shift on this record, with the sun and swirl of strings providing a sense of relief that would otherwise be impossible to put words to.
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