With the psych rock resurgence showing no sign of diminishing, some of its unsung heroes have finally seized their opportunity to bask in the limelight. Among those are London quartet Eat Lights Become Lights. Ever since their formation seven years ago, they've woven electronic patterns heavily influenced by krautrockers such as Kraftwerk and Neu! into densely orchestrated walls of sound. Recently namechecked by the likes of The Horrors and Manic Street Preachers as well as regularly performing with Damo Suzuki in a soundcarrier/backing band capacity, their Klub Motorik night has established itself as one of the capital's most innovative gatherings - it would be fair to say these are pretty exciting times for Eat Lights Become Lights right now.
While most of the above is old news to those who've been there from the start or witnessed any of their entrancing live shows, this current wave of recognition is certainly well overdue. So it's just as well that they've constructed their most diverse and arguably finest collection to date in fourth long player Into Forever. Whereas its predecessors seemingly followed a structured blueprint - Eat Lights Become Lights do possess a distinctive and instantly recognisable sound - this latest venture contains an array of unexpected twists and turns.
Having founded the project and assumed the role of writer, arranger and producer ever since, Neil Rudd is the man largely responsible for this shapeshift. Heavily influenced by the likes of Steve Reich and Moondog, Rudd spent a lot of the album's formative process recording percussion samples, thumb pianos while experimenting with ethnic instrumentation to provide the foundations for which to build upon.
And Rudd and his band have constructed a whole new template, changing time signatures at the drop of a hat while melodies glide in and out of focus with gleeful abandon. Opener 'Velocet Vir Nasat' might just be the most explosive start to an album we've heard this year. Fusing elements of noise, Germanic synths and percussive loops reminiscent of Death In Vegas at their most obtuse, it provides an incendiary introduction to Into Forever's futuristic adventure.
'Bounce Synth' veers off into Tubular Bells territory where textured chimes ricochet concisely around timed beats creating a sense of ambience forthwith. 'Time Enough' strays into Techno Pop-era Kraftwerk, its compressed electronica fit to grace clubland confines as well as the rock establishments its creators have become accustomed to. Better still is the tribal infused 'Shapes and Patterns', its four-to-the-floor synthesized melody again casting one eye on the dancefloor.
Meanwhile 'Vapour Trails' carries an Eastern flavour, doused in cinematic ambience and solemn acoustics. Its dreamlike presence perhaps offering the most revealing insight into the record's diversity while referencing Eno and Morricone in equal measures. 'You Are Disko' co-exists in a similar vein to the aforementioned 'Time Enough' and 'Shapes And Patterns', opulent synths playfully engaging with repeating rhythmic interludes.
Title track and closer 'Into Forever' rides off into the sunset oozing tranquility in its wake. Clocking in at over ten minutes, it's a serene climax to an album brimming with enterprise and stimulus. With its creators' profile set to reach new heights in the foreseeable future, Into Forever justifies such reverence. In short: a revelation.
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8Dom Gourlay's Score
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8User Score