Album Review - Light Asylum: Light Asylum

Light Asylum
Light Asylum
Rating: Grrrr

UK duo Light Asylum, made up singer Shannon Funchess and synth player Bruno Coviello, definitely wear their influences on their sleeves, but there is such a mix of differing influences that it makes up for what is lacking in the originality department. When asked to describe their sound, I remarked to some friends that it sounds like Yaz fronted by Grace Jones, or Nitzer Ebb fronted by Alison Moyet, with nods to Speak and Spell era Depeche Mode, early Nine Inch Nails, and even current electro darlings La Roux, if they were more goth influenced. What makes Light Asylum stand out from the crowd is Funchess' amazing contralto, which hits some astonishingly low, rumbling notes. Her voice is so deep, a friend actually thought it was a man singing at first. Her voice adds menace, but also emotion and heart to the furious electronics, tempering their clinical assault. There is no doubt she is in control of the songs, relentlessly stalking the verses and choruses as Coviello does his best to pound her into submission with throbbing drum machines and blistering synth lines.

The opening three tracks are a pretty good representation of their intense approach to their sound. "IPC" is a furious howl of antagonistic keyboard lines and Funchess' guttural barks, a call to arms to "fight girls, get tough, fight cops, who try to rape us."



"Pope Will Roll" occupies some alternative universe where Miami bass music meets up with Chicago industrial, delivering a harrowing attack on hypocrisy of religious figures, shouting "you live in a glass house/like you were a god."



Over blasts of drum machines, Funchess intones like a god on a mountain herself on first song "Hour Fortress" as Coviello throws is entire arsenal of analog synths at her.



Thankfully the whole album is not a pummeling set of tracks, Light Asylum wisely choose the midpoint of the record to scale things back and work on atmosphere and texture, allowing Funchess more room for evocative vocal work. "Sins of the Flesh" has a more dub influence, drum programming echoing all over the track, Funchess' voice deep and attention grabbing,



"Angel Tongue" trades aggression for a practically jaunty synth melody, Funchess' voice tightly controlled,



and album centerpiece "Shallow Tears" is a haunting ballad seemingly about birth and the struggle for life, "will you meet me by the river's edge?/as I lay low down my head/until they hold to thy breast/will you drown me in shallow tears?/No, don't go away, away!" Funchess' voice gives you chill bumps towards the end.



Aside from the blitzkrieg industrial attack of "At Will" the remaining tracks on the record have a slightly more melodic/pop structure to them. "End of the Days" adds some Asian-tinted keyboards and funky samples to its synthpop beat,



while "A Certain Person" is almost a left-field Top 40 pop hit, featuring shiny keyboard lines over sparkling drum programming, letting Funchess hit some high notes, sounding like a more muscular Alison Moyet.



Light Asylum is a great debut for this duo as it has enough diversity within it, not allowing the album to seem one note, which some electro albums can default to. It also points in several directions they can head with their sound, in order to progress it further. Funchess' voice can be a little much to take in large doses, but she seems to be aware of its innate strength, and attempts, successfully more often that not, to scale it back when necessary. Light Asylum is a promising debut for this up and coming band.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.