We Are Rising

Album Review

After taking four years to complete his debut album, At War with Walls & Mazes, Son Lux mastermind Ryan Lott made the bold decision to try to compress his creative process, writing and recording his follow-up in just four weeks. The result of this mad dash of songwriting is his sophomore album, We Are Rising, which despite its short time in the oven is a beautifully realized piece of flowing neo-psychedelia that really benefits from Lott following his instincts rather than overthinking things. Sitting somewhere between the Flaming Lips and Portugal. The Man, the album strikes a fine balance between sonic experimentation and pop craftsmanship, with pleasant synth melodies that shift from deep and lush to lo-fi and fuzzy as Lott delivers enigmatic lyrics like “Leave the riches, take the bones/I’m ready to be robbed,” with a spooky frailty that allows the music to weave itself around the vocals rather than the vocals trying to weave themselves into the music. The most impressive thing about the album, though, is its seemingly effortless flow as it drifts from track to track, intuitively guiding listeners through its eerie sonic depths before gently depositing them at the end. This kind of instinctive feel gives We Are Rising that little something special that hopefully marks the start of something daring and new for Son Lux.