For almost a decade, electro-pop singer, LIGHTS, has dazzled us with her insights and infectious melodies. 2009’s The Listening (where we might’ve taken some inspiration for our site name) ignited a sense of bravery in all of us. 2011’s Siberia is the grittiest, getting to the heart of all of the darkness while uncovering the light. 2014’s Little Machines delved into awakenings and all the little nostalgic aspects of life. Now, as the singer embarks on her fourth journey with Skin & Earth, we’re transported into a new dimension unlike ever before with a comic series of the same name to go with it!
Taking a few leaps forward, Skin & Earth explores the elements of one’s defiance set to a soundtrack of intense pop anthems that seem to (finally) be turning heads in the Top 40 realm! Take lead single “Giants” & “Skydiving” and mash them up with “Until The Light” and the unrestrained gem that is “Savage” and you’ve got yourself an artist that’s not afraid to take risks in what can often feel like an over-saturated industry.
Tracks like “Morphine,” “New Fears” and “We Were Here” take on more of a Banks vibe while “Kicks” brings Daya and Fifth Harmony to mind as the album continues to surprise with every twist and turn, proving that a real artist defies the odds while breaking all of those unspoken rules in the process.
Once “Moonshine” comes into play, listeners will recognize that familiar LIGHTS feel but things soon turn dark and chilling with “Magnetic Field.” “Fight Club” just might be a commentary on our current political and social climate where everyone wants to prove they’re right without talking things out like rational human beings; a clever, upbeat anthem for those who are sick and tired of the madness.
Closing out the album with “Almost Had Me,” the singer tells the tale of a wolf in sheep’s clothing as views start to shift and the captive rise taller with a sense of freedom – the urge to move on more than just a notion but a deep sense of hunger rooted in the heart.
If LIGHTS made one thing clear on this album and throughout her career thus far, it’s that life is constantly changing, dragging us along with the motions. It’s up to us how we respond to it all. It looks like she chose valor. No surprise there one bit.
Skin & Earth is available now here.
