Lux
We Are Not The Same
Seattle, WA
(Self-released)
“Heavy, dreamy pop with an occasional dark side”
David Chandler and Leah Rosen are Lux, the Seattle-based duo making their full-length debut with We Are Not The Same. Although there are some up-tempo moments, the 13-song album is relatively mid-paced with vocal duties being shared by both Chandler and Rosen, making for a nice change from track to track.
The album begins with “Coroner’s Office,” a song that sounds lighthearted despite the title and seemingly personal lyrics. Whereas Chandler’s vocals sound reserved and, at times, subdued, tracks like “Out of Love” showcase Rosen’s almost-angelic voice. During the times they sing alone, their voices give each song its own personality from introspective to esoteric. Yet on tracks like “Valerie, They’ll Never Understand” and “Little Cripple” where they sing together, the album demonstrates how flawlessly their voices fit together.
Musically, the instrumentation is fairly simple, with clean but purposefully imperfect production. The album is laced with guitars, synths, melodic bleep-bloops and chimes. Most of the songs emphasize one of these aspects, with many intersecting moments. It’s an album that sounds like it was made by people with decent pop sensibilities, a love for lush and layered production and a tinge of nostalgia for the ’80s.
Recorded and Mixed by Lux
Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering (Boston, MA)