Album Review: Son Lux - ‘Out Into’

New York post rockers Son Lux are back with their ninth studio release, Out Into everywhere this Friday! The American three-piece have a storied career that spans twenty years, which also includes soundtrack work, such as the Oscar-nominated soundtrack for Everything Everywhere All at Once and Marvel’s Thunderbolts. Out Into was recorded between film projects for the trio, and sees the band putting forth an earnest and direct record that gets straight to the point from the jump with “Want to Love”. Out Into clocks in at nine tracks that flow effortlessly from one to the next. It features dynamic vocals from Son Lux founder and vocalist Ryan Lott and some snappy rhythms and beats laid by guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang on percussion.

The pinnacle of the album (for us at least), comes near the middle of the record on “Even If it Hurts”. The track features a mix of beats that pop, that are accentuated by Lott’s understated vibrato. “You Could Be the One” is also a winner, as Lott moves in and out of a crisp falsetto, which is accompanied by some fantastic guitar and percussion from Bhatia and Chang respectively. The final third of “You Could Be the One” slows things down a bit as the band purposely moves toward the finish line of the track. Chang’s percussion is so intentional and just makes everything work from a timing and rhythm standpoint. Chang is at his best near the end of the record on “Apparition”, where he alters between steady beats and lighting quick fills on both the drums and cymbals. This track evokes comps to later Radiohead, particularly on percussion.

Son Lux are in an interesting position, somewhere between breakout and the underground if you will. They clearly know what they’re doing here, as they have been sought out on big money projects (see Marvel’s Thunderbolts). Honestly, that’s for good reason, as the band knows their sound and are comfortable in their element, while also toying around a bit and experimenting with different melodies. Out Into closes with “No God Like A King”, which is extremely percussion and bass heavy. The ryhtym moves in a way that is a mix between electronic, while also featuring tones that evoke thoughts of hip-hop beats. Lott is all over this track on vocals, as he is simultaneously restrained and forceful in portions of the track. Out Into shows why the band is at the front of the post rock scene, as they incorporate elements of electronica, hip-hop, and rock into a blend all their own. Out Into is one of the best records we have heard all year and we cannot recommend it enough.

Rating - 9/10