Album Details

• Artist: Lightning Dust
• Album: Infinite Light
• Label: Jagjaguwar
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: tosnob on 2009-12-10

Vancouver's Lightning Dust are set to release their sophomore album, Infinite Light, on August 4th. The band's principles, Amber Webber and Joshua Wells are probably better known for their work with Polaris-nominated band Black Mountain.

Drawing comparisons between Lightning Dust and the psychedelic blues rock of Black Mountain would be a huge mistake though. Whereas Black Mountain is renowned for trippy, clattering rock, Lightning Dust choose a more subtle, restrained path.

The duo of Webber and Wells build moody music based on sparse instrumentation and understated vocals. Throw in some ghostly production effects and you get highly textured music which retains it's minimalist character. That makes songs like "Dreamer" and "Never Seen" comes across as a hybrid of Marissa Nadler's haunting work and the more layered sounds of Bat For Lashes.

On occasion Lightning Dust to pick the tempo up. The pumping "I Knew" for example is an infectious heartbeat of a track while "The Times" features a wafting, uplifting piano piece. The "la da da, la da da da" refrain of "History" gives you a glimpse at the duo's underlying pop sensibility.

Webber' vocals are remarkably effective on Infinite Light. Much of the album is sung with a slight warble. On songs like "Antonia Jane" and "Waiting On The Sun To Rise" this serves to heighten the emotion being conveyed. When Webber does let loose on "Wondering What Everyone Knows" the big, bold vocals fill the room.

If you're in the market for a moody, cathartic record you could need look no farther than Infinite Light.

User Reviews and Comments