Lanterns review - a delectable record full of twists and turns, perfect for crisp winter weather.

Nov 26
14:17

2015

Jordan Wood

Jordan Wood

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In a genre that has somewhat distilled,Lanterns review - a delectable record full of twists and turns, perfect for crisp winter weather. Articles like a conveyor belt churning out long-haired and bearded musicians wearing corduroys, it can feel like a long time before one hears an indie/folk record that emits even a hint of originality. So much so that when a record does come along that has me proclaiming “wow, this is good”, then surely it must be really, very good.

Beings is Newcastle based dream-pop/indie rock band Lanterns on the Lake’s third full length release, and upon first listen I proclaimed said phrase above. Glittered in melodic soundscapes and passionate instrumentals, the album builds upon the gentleness of the band’s back catalogue by simply instilling more energy. Hazel Wilde’s vocals are, at times, raw, invoking an uneasiness offset against orchestral melodies and driving drum patterns.

‘I’ll Stall Them’ is a majestically crafted track; with its piano-y entrance giving way to a morose, yet hypnotic drum pattern with crashing cymbals, bleeding in to a Bon Iver-style trumpet medley. Wilde’s vocals waft over the proceedings, like a more enthused Paul Banks of Interpol, as a scene of society’s emptiness is bled out in watercolour detail: “In a world of plastic souls, where money rules, give me meaning”.

The album maintains the intricate detail of ‘I’ll Stall Them’ as it builds towards its climax. Title track, ‘Beings’, is the other real highlight; a splatter of piano leaks into the smothering echo of a drum being brushed, not beaten, before Wilde’s vocals spill over. The beauty of the track lies in its deeply poetic and romantic lyrics; one would not be a fool for mistaking it for a piece written by Yeats or Eliot. A passionate crescendo reflecting on life’s abnormalities, each line bookended by the cry of “beings!”, is the crux of the track, delivering a truly stirring moment.

Beings is an album of perpetual and oftentimes brutal beauty that chips away at the fragility of the listener; yet does so in a manner that attests self-assurance rather than self-pity.

Beings by Lanterns on the Lake is out now on Bella Union

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