Album Review: Lights – Siberia
3 min read
Sophomore albums have always been regarded as a test in any artists longevity. Over the years there have been many cases of the one album wonders – as soon as that second album lands we may get one mediocre single and they vanish. If a successful follow up can be secured then the chances of a fruitful career in the industry is a lot more set in stone.
With her first release, The Listening, providing her with a genre platform to infiltrate, Canadian synth pop star, Lights, gave us a record overflowing with camp goodness. The record delivered a series of pretty fantastic singles including Saviour, Drive My Soul and Second Go. The album not only rounded the singer up with her fair share of followers the world over but also some industry recognition with a Juno Award (Canada’s Music Awards) for Best New Artist.
The album offered us a glossy, animated star with a real kick in her step however the real work starts now with the follow up. Siberia is Lights’ second studio album and is released in the UK on March 12th.
On first listen the same formula has been applied to Siberia that proved successful with her debut. Each addition heard on the latest record had a strong synth foundation and hooks are dotted heavily within it’s duration to win some memorability.
The title track opens the show and with an orgy of deep synth loops and an infectious and with its easy to sing along to chorus we are offered a taste of things to come.
Toes steals the show on Siberia with it’s pounding rhythm and radio friendly vision. The track gets right in your head and that is what pop music is (or at least, should be) all about. The chorus puts Lights’ vocals in the spotlight as she soars through a driving structure with a catchy melody and a crisp production.
An anthemic Banner follows the commercial theme held strongly by Toes and keeps the peddle firmly flat with an intense track brimming with some quality hands-in-the-air moments. With a real mainstream coating applied to the track, Lights has done a good job in selecting the song as the latest single for Siberia.
Further into the record Flux and Flow creates a nostalgic filling to Siberia with a euphorically meaty electro-gem.
Fourth Dimension shows a different angle to Siberia as the more rock influenced addition with a grinding dub-step section nearing the end of the track while Cactus In The Valley displays a softer side to Lights as it sits on the record as a touching ballad that shows off Lights’ versatility as an artist.
Successful follow ups may be a challenge for so many but with Siberia, Lights makes it appear effortless. Vocally vibrant and musically electrifying, Siberia shows them all how it’s done.
Buy ‘Lights – Siberia’ from Amazon
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