It
only takes a couple of seconds before The Dark Lights
sophomore EP Stop Existing, Start Living
asserts itself as a record founded on moody atmospherics and
tempestuous dynamics; like the band’s
first effort before it, The
Boy Who Saw Through Walls,
this second outing from the Australian-Anglo-Portuguese
quartet exhibits an off-kilter sincerity and romanticism that shirks
any misconceptions and ideas of Australian stereotyping brilliantly.
This sincerity is upheld all the more by the recent inclusion of
singer Tristan
Roe,
who brings his personal experiences to the table by means of emphatic
and emotive lyricism.
The
first track 'Clear
the Air'
is an angry and angst-ridden affair that surprisingly brings to mind
band’s
such as Billy
Talent,
without the penchant for a nasally whine. Founding member Matt
Ho’s
guitar work is fantastic here and exhibits an understanding in the
equal importance of those notes you don’t
play
as those you do. Conversely, the following track 'Sticks
and Stones'
has it's
roots firmly in math-rock ground as off-kilter guitar permeates an
eviscerating bass and drum combo that drives the chorus forward
without compromise.
The
second half of Stop
Existing...begins
with 'Game
of Two Hearts'
and provides a much needed breather after the unrelenting tenacity of
it's
predecessor. The picked guitar is once again present as is some
equally impressive drums but the real highlight of this track comes
in the form of Roe's
vocals, that glides effortlessly across the tops of the
instrumentation, seemingly unphased. The high notes, not only
attempted by Roe, but attained are atypical of the previous tracks
but suggest a much higher level of musical diversity in his vocal
capabilities, and, when coupled with some contemporary piano work,
only serves to heighten the auditory experience that the track
offers. The record concludes with
'Ghosts'
which sees business for the band return to normal, though it seems
clear that they've saved their strongest song to close with. The
lyrics are perhaps the best seen across the whole of the EP, though
that's by no means a slight on the other songs, Roe's lyricism is
both personal and universal, drawing on his own experiences to create
a cathartic expression for his listeners, and it clearly works in his
favour.
The
Dark Lights are clearly a band with an unprecedented amount of both
talent and energy, the latter of which, often subdued, finds
occasional moments of blistering opportunity that burst forth from
behind a placid façade in fleeting moments of hardcore-inspired
aggression. If their first record was a band cutting their
metaphorical teeth, then Stop
Existing, Start Living
sees them razor sharp and gleaming. There's simply no denying the
passion and the fervour that bubbles, unrelentingly beneath the
surface a band destined for greener pastures.
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