by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
North Carolina’s Cor de Lux are comfortable playing the long game. The quartet began releasing singles from Media, their second album, nearly two years before the record’s release. For an album that’s focused on human connection, strengthened by the necessity of each other’s support during the pandemic, the band’s slow of singles brought us all along for the world, a picture nearly fully formed upon arrival. Released back in February, Media is an interesting blend of noise pop, shoegaze, and post-punk, taking characteristics of each genre and reconfiguring them in a way that doesn’t quite sit comfortably in any of them. Its strength is that it sounds familiar but unique, ornate but subtle, Cor de Lux take common formulas and put the pieces back in new directions. The band move between expansive instrumental segments to swooning pop hooks, with an energy that feels constant, but rarely spikes into anything aggressive. There are moments of tension, but Cor de Lux are ultimately making dream-pop, they’ve put the anxiety to rest.
“Rumors” is the album’s centerpiece, a song that opens with contemplative ambiance before eventually digging into the distorted riff. Everything occurs piece by piece, slowly layering itself one instrument to the next, until it sits firmly in a moody post-punk groove. The video, animated by Matt Smithson, pairs psychedelic imagery together with the slow building song, wriggling together stunning visuals that seem to take an influence from the legendary Basquiat in design. Speaking about the concept, the band shared:
“The video is a super abstract story of some amoeba / single cell things emerging - becoming sentient - trading ideas - fighting about their ideas- until there is nothing left: no color, just rage until it all implodes at the end. There is a glimmer of hope at the very end like the song resembles. The heaviness of social wars is felt in the build up and softly sang as in a lover's voice. The way Matt correlated the feelings that swell with this song is a beautiful emotional work of Art.”
Upcoming Shows:
08/11 - Raleigh, NC @ Slim's
08/12 - Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor w/ Daikaiju
08/18 - Richmond, VA @ Corba Cabana
08/20 - Washington DC @ Risers Fest @ Hook Hall
09/09 - Raleigh, NC @ Neptune's
10/16 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall *
10/17 - Washington DC @ Black Cat *
10/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's *
* w/ Pile