by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
If only temporarily (let’s say three minutes and eighteen seconds), the darkness of these days has lifted, and a shimmering glow has emerged in the form of Light Beams. The Washington, DC trio of Dischord veterans Justin Moyer (Antelope, Puff Pieces, E.D. Sedgwick), Arthur Noll (Alarms and Controls), and Sam Lavine are re-contextualizing post-punk with their own brand of positive grooves and funky guitar-less progressions, relying on samples and a live rhythm section to keep their beats shifting, vibrant, and forever locked in. After releasing a self-titled EP in 2017, the trio are set to share their full length debut, Self Help, due out January 31st via Don Giovanni Records (Screaming Females, Laura Stevenson, Izzy True). The album feels like a breath of fresh air, a reinvigorating listen after heaps of stale indie rock and uninspired punk.
“Sacred Scales,” the album’s first single, begins with a somber piano lead, a red herring of an intro that quickly evaporates once the bass groove slinks its way in. Moyer immediately sets the PMA in action by listing things he likes (“I like ice cream”) and it’s a nice way to get to each other… in audio form. The rhythm dazzles around the screechy pop melody, a complex beat that stays in the pocket while loading fills in place with the dexterity of your favorite post-hardcore drummer at their very danciest. At times it recalls Mi Ami (albeit less “freaky”) with their hypnotic motorik complexities, but this one is all feel good vibes and we can’t help but agree that “I wanna do this some more.”
Speaking about the song, the band shared:
"Sacred Scales," built around a Chopin mazurka, stresses the importance of celebrating the simple joys of life -- "I like L.A. ... I like nice waves" -- in the face of overwhelming suicidal ideation, reminding the listener to continually search for new reasons to face each day ("I've never done this before/and I've never done that before"). Meanwhile, the song asks us all to recognize those who, even in an imperfect world, do what they can to help us overcome emotional struggles: "You've got me feeling positive/or something a little bit like it."