The Sound of Lights When Dim is the first of 3 re-releases of Washington resident Slow Dancing Society’s work on the excellent Hidden Shoal Recordings. In this, his debut, lugubrious synths and organ tones meld seamlessly with delayed guitars, both acoustic and electric, to form one mesmerising ocean of warm, endless reflection.
‘Be There’ eases it’s way into view, as long synth notes and muted guitar runs swell and flow like an uneasy ocean, setting the pace for the remainder of the edition, and most of Slow Dancing Society’s work in general. ‘Radiance’ takes it’s time to get going, such that as it reaches it’s peak, it’s already receding. Delayed acoustic guitar melds with more legato notes, and serves as a focal point for movement. Effected whispers of voice and reverse guitar swells flit in and out like hazy memories on ‘The Delicate Sound of Silence’. Soft keys tinkle like fading stars. There’s an overriding sense of weightlessness here, with pieces so spacious and lush that you tend to sink into them and float away. A gentle beat makes an appearance on ‘The Warm Familiar Smell of September’, with finger clicked snare sounds and acoustic guitar fitting together perfectly. ‘West of 4th (Kristina’s Song)’ has a soft organ and sparkling electric piano melt together to form a warm bed over which a lone guitar moves in sparse slow motion. A steadily rotating hammond and gently bitcrushed beat glide together under a soaring slide guitar on ‘How Life Was Meant To Be Lived’. Chimes crescendo and break through the tones, as a piano enters with a simple melody. The beat is softly reduced further in resolution, before disappearing in a whisp of smoke. ‘A Lonesome Sentiment’ has the responsibility of closing this sumptuous debut, a task which it takes to with an apt reflective tone. Slide guitar and chimes reappear early, alongside a similar beat to the previous track, as it takes the shape of an older sibling to ‘How Life Was…..’. As it slows to a fade, it feels like the sun going down over a warm beach of happy memories.
Nick Giles
As a debut release, this is gorgeous. The only (minor) detraction to this edition as a whole, in my eyes, is the long silences between some of the tracks. In a sense it keeps the mood spaced and reflective, however i found it to disjoint the individual pieces from one another. In any case, this shouldn’t stop you from checking out this stunning release.
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