Peaking Lights
The Fifth State of Consciousness
Two Flowers
Jun 12, 2017
Web Exclusive
Find It At: AMAZON
Perhaps the husband and wife duo that is Peaking Lights would like you to think of each of their records as a state of consciousness, hence the title of their fifth LP. The title also hints at the dub-inspired, electronic pop that permeates throughout the 12 tracks.
Each of the previous four records has shown that Peaking Lights are not afraid to experiment and take their sound in different directions while still staying grounded in the trippy, hazy electronica that got them noticed in the first place. But while their last release, 2014's Cosmic Logic, included more song structured pop, The Fifth State sees them removing some of the pop sheen and imbuing their hypnotic betas with big airy synth melodies similar to those that ruled the '80s.
It's not all retro though as they lean on their strength of combining thick bass lines with knob-twiddling manipulations of quirky electronic squeaks and pops to create hippy, psychedelic grooves. These grooves are used as a fertile soil to plant some bright melodies and Indra Dunis' sunshiny vocals. Her sweet, soft spoken voice, buried in the mix and shrouded in mist, is used to accent the mood rather than paint a picture with words.
"Coyote Ghost Melodies" is the most reggae inspired with an offbeat rhythm and crisp bass line while "Everytime I see the Light" adds some bursting guitar lines and are the two outstanding tracks. But all the songs are playful and entertaining with a layered and attractive sound.
Peaking Lights continue to advance their sound by blurring genre lines and this time found a winning combination of hypnotic reggae beats, airy synths, and semi R&B grooves. (www.peakinglights.com)
Author rating: 7/10
Average reader rating: 6/10
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12:54am
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