Staff Reviews

Son Lux - Brighter Wounds

Review by Jasper Willems

Brighter Wounds shines brightest in its more subdued and spontaneous moments.»

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Son Lux reemerge with their fifth full-length LP, Brighter Wounds, finding the trio in command of a daring, multidirectional sound, expressing naturally the proclivity for surprise and contrast that characterize the project's output. The new release explores the violence of love, the beauty of sacrifice, and the specter of impermanence. Anchored by its cinematic heart, All Directions, the album ranges from the thunderous charge of Dream State to the sputtering, soulful lilt of Slowly. Ryan Lott’s devastating vocal on Aquatic, guitarist Rafiq Bhatia’s blooming flower melismas on Labor, and drummer Ian Chang’s nearly inhuman rhythmic calculus on The Fool You Need illuminate a curious and delicate balance of precision and pain. Since 2015’s Bones, the band's profile has grown in the worlds of music, dance, and film. Each member now charts their respective solo paths, and their individual adventures find a home within the purview of Son Lux. On Brighter Wounds, collaborators range from longtime cohorts Rob Moose (Y Music, Bon Iver, The National) and DM Stith (Sufjan Stevens), to new friends trumpeter Dave Douglas and reedist / instrument builder Arrington de Dionyso. Son Lux has made invention its hallmark through continued exploration and experimentation. With Brighter Wounds, the triad NPR proclaimed “the world’s most lethal band" now grips exhilaration and heartache in full embrace. In the words of the album's closing refrain, "is this what the resurrection feels like?".description from www.roughtrade.com