Quiet Lights are an outfit that fall perfectly under the category of "up-and-coming." Their music has a charming amount of potential, and has a small set of goals that don't amaze the listener as much as they do leave a pleasant afterthought. With their debut 3-song sampler, Quiet Lights proposed a dainty set of songs that were restrained to their benefit; they slowly built-up, yet never seemed liberal. Now, in preparation for their debut full-length the band has acquired two reputable personalities behind the boards, Jason LaFarge (Swans) and John Congleton (Clinic, St. Vincent) to enhance the sound of the album's first single.
The A-side "Ablaze" represents an almost perfect route of progression. Instead of depending on a crescendo to carry the song, Quiet Lights merely toy with the idea of getting loud. The verses have a bending chord progression thickened by a chugging dirge that appear as polar opposites, yet the contrast between the two is absolutely genius. This somewhat menacing arrangement all comes together once the chorus emerges: harmonic keyboard tones color the desolate timbre of the guitars, as the ethereal vocals give a sense of guidance within the lyrics "You can find your way/take the time you like." The closest "Ablaze" comes to forte is the manipulated feedback that closes the track-- but even so, it doesn't have the appearance of discord as much as it does a motif. The dynamic is simple, yet novel and gorgeous.
The B-side "Twice Today" carries the same countenance of structure as its predecessor: the basis represents a build that is too exceptional for a climax. However, the tension of the build is lessened here, and its objective is to have the listener subdued by the intricacies rather than haunted by them. The guitars are less ominous, and the drums remain relegated to a pulsating floor-tom rhythm. The quietly chiming guitar phrases and the whispering "Break, breathe, starve" vocal melody seem intent on calming the listener, as well as offering variation with the chorus's key-change. The end is what astonishes me the most: Quiet Lights utilize feedback in a contradictory context-- it's a slow, resonating hum that lulls me. Once again, the motifs do more justice to the song than the writing itself.
The binding thread between these two songs is given openly: the melodies are peppered with unease, then introduce the reassurance of their environment with stellar subtleties. With the calm, reserved structure of Lower Dens and the imminent-yet-inviting danger of My Bloody Valentine, Quiet Lights have constructed a sound that makes me extremely eager to hear their upcoming full-length, The Big Fear.
[Quiet Lights Myspace]
[Buy/Download the Ablaze 7" from Bandcamp]
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