Ears to the Ground: "No Dark/No Light" by Lilac Shadows

It's with great pleasure that I share this brand new Lilac Shadows track with all of you. I've been intently listening to No Dark/No Light, Lilac Shadows' forthcoming full-length album set for release on Feb. 4, for a few months now. But regardless of how many times I listen to it I still find myself just as transfixed as I was on my first listen. With a revamped lineup, Lilac Shadows has come strong out of the gate for their debut full-length. No Dark/No Light finds the band delving deeper into the explorative tendencies that they toyed with on their Shallow Madness EP, they're swiftly mastering the push and pull that all great psych-rock bands harness.

"No Dark/No Light" is the album's lead single and it's a brilliant representation of what can be found on the album. Whether it's the rich dynamic shifts, the deeply layered strings or the rambling vocal melody, "No Dark/No Light" contains plenty of subtle nuances that the listener can go back and hone in on. It's a revelatory experience each time around, whether you find yourself entrenched in the encapsulating instrumentation or sucked into the equally dense vocal patterns and lyricism, it's all worthy of your undivided attention.

No Dark/No Light is a unique sonic adventure with apt titling. The album is as bold and defined as it is amorphous. Frankly it's one of those albums best experienced with minimal distractions, with eyes closed and headphones on just absorbing all of the intricacies that lie within. Granted that's easy for me to say since I've been following a similar listening pattern for a few weeks now, but if you don't believe me then give this title track the same respect. Nestle yourself inside of some blankets and pump these tunes into your ears and tell me you're not craving more. Sure you can blast this in a car or through your laptop speakers and get an equally enthralling experience, but music this wonderful deserves your aural respect. So give it such!

No Dark/No Light will be released on DiggUp Tapes on February 4. Lilac Shadows will celebrate the release of the album with a show at The Carrack Art Gallery in Durham. Joined by Midnight Plus One and Matt Northrup, Lilac Shadows will also be providing a "collaborative multimedia exhibit" so that fans can truly immerse themselves in the vibrant world of No Dark/No Light. Artists involved in the exhibit will be sharing interpretive artwork that serves as a response to their listening of the album. From Feb. 4-15, the Carrack will house this artwork along with an interactive sound exhibit, featuring samples of the album that people can interact with, creating their own soundscapes.

Artists involved includes: Harrison Haynes, Casey Cook, Ann Tilley, Will Goodyear, Katie Zickefoose, Gabrielle Duggan, JP Trostle, Brian Howe, Jeremy Withers, Thomas Dean, Janie Ledford, Grace Montgomery, Linc Hancock, Liz Bradford, Kelly Kye, David Eichenberger, Sandy Logan, Jacki Huntington, Matt Park and more forthcoming...

Check out the band's upcoming show schedule and listen to the title track below:

Upcoming Shows:

Feb. 8 - Durham, NC; The Carrack Gallery Release Show and Art Opening with Midnight Plus One and Matt Northrup

Feb. 20 - Raleigh, NC; Tir Na Nog with White Cascade and Jazz Tapes

Feb. 21 - Richmond, VA; Boyzhouse with Lonnie Walker

Feb. 22 - Washington DC; The Dunes with Lonnie Walker and The North Country

March 13 - Durham, NC; The Pinhook with Zack Mexico and The Clockwork Kids

March 14 - Charleston, SC; Swamp House with Zack Mexico and Elim Bolt

March 15 - Columbia, SC; Shredquarters with Zack Mexico and Elim Bolt

March 16 - Charlotte, NC;  Strange_House with Zack Mexico and Elim Bolt

Listen To New Music From Lilac Shadows and Jenny Besetzt

Find me a better local label than DiggUp Tapes.  I'd give you time to do so but I highly doubt that said label exists right now.  DiggUp has been firing on all cylinders lately, whether they're releasing incredible music from some of the state's fastest rising acts, consistently putting on fantastic shows around the Triangle, or reviving the tried and true art of cassettes, the label is always giving back to this tight-knit music community.

Most recently the label has been putting out stellar Cassingles featuring new tracks from some of my favorite local acts.  We've been given some stellar new music from The Human Eyes, Spider Bags, Oulipo, Body Games and much more in the past few months.  However, the label's most recent release proves to be one of the standouts of the past few months.

Lilac Shadows and Jenny Besetzt recently teamed up for an east coast tour that kicked off with yet another Cassingle release show, marking the debut of two new fantastic songs from these local gems.  Lilac Shadows contributed a shimmering new song called "Turn It Off", trading in their darker, moody sounds for a dazzling pop tune that oozes with summer aesthetics.  While the group's lyricism retains its bleek and somber tones, the melodies are bursting with energy, soaring above pulsing rhythms and driving guitar lines.

Jenny Besetzt on the other hand, deliver a down-tempo track with a slow-build to counter Lilac's in your face pop tune. John Wollober's vocals provide a haunting tint to this minimalistic track. "Dennison Corners" is mostly comprised of a repeating chord progression and Wollober's bleak, static melody that glides slowly through this low-key track.

Listen to the two new songs below and share your thoughts:

The Bottom String's Hopscotch Day Party Schedule

Hopscotch is just over a week away and quite frankly I'm finding it hard to contain my excitement for the whole thing.  The festival has been dropping LPs off at random locations in downtown Raleigh, continually having Day Party announcements and even had a few names drop and get added to the lineup a few weeks ago (The Light Pines being the most disappointing loss for me), so the excitement and hype is all finally going to be coming to a head when next week's festivities kick off on Thursday.  Thursday recently had Day Parties added onto it with an insane amount of music going on at Sadlack's Heroes, a 307 Knox hosted show with the likes of Pink Flag, and a Raleigh Denim/Flander's Gallery show highlighted by a Gray Young appearance.  Hop around town on Thursday if you're free to catch some of these awesome free sets to get you pumped up for the night's festivities.