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Jun 07, 2021 Web Exclusive By Haydon Spenceley

Son Lux—the project of Ryan Lott, Rafiq Bhatia, and Ian Chang—have reached the point in their career where their artistic vision is so beautifully honed that it feels as if they can do no wrong. Tomorrows III, the third in the Tomorrows trilogy, merely cements their position as one of the most important bands in contemporary music.

It’s always been hard to pigeonhole the band genre-wise, as they exist in a crossover space between modern classical, electronica, jazz, and alternative pop. Compositionally they are spectacular. Witness “Unbind” here, which opens the record with what feels like a claustrophobic crescendo with guitars to the fore, but by the time of its end, soaring strings have taken over and it has resolved wonderfully. Lott sings, “I need a different kind of love, hurts to be loved like this” on “A Different Kind of Love” and the beauty of its presentation leads you to be totally on board with him as he does.

Elsewhere “Come Recover” and “The Hour” exhibit yet more beauty and more of the breadth of the band’s capabilities, but it is taken as a whole, not just as an album or even as part of a trilogy of wild ambition but as part of the Son Lux canon that these songs truly shine. If there’s a more creative or confident band around right now I’ve yet to hear them. If you’ve yet to dive in, now’s the time to do so. (www.sonluxmusic.com)

Author rating: 7/10