A Depressing, Yet Highly Enjoyable Journey
After releasing their debut EP last year, Dutch one-man act Fourteen Twentysix returned with their first full-length album, Lighttown Closure, earlier this year. A melancholic, atmospheric, and often beautiful work of art is the best way to describe Chris van der Linden's latest release. Although the depressive nature of this work requires the listener to be in a certain "mood" to enjoy it, this is a high-quality and moody album that any fan of atmospheric progressive rock should check out. I found my mind wandering during the first few listens, but after a good 5 or 6 spins, my short attention span was overcome by some really high-quality, immersive music. Though this isn't the type of album that I would put on often, it's a professional and enjoyable release that fans of early Porcupine Tree, post rock, and electronic music should check out.
The music here is pretty unique. I can't actually say I've ever heard anything like it before. It's very influenced by Steven Wilson projects, but there's also a lot of post rock and atmospheric electronic influences as well. Of the 9 songs, my favorite is probably "After the Storm", which is beautiful and creepy at the same time. There are some more upbeat songs like "Closing Hours", which gives the album some variation. Most of the arrangements are very similar, so the album can seem a bit monotonous at first. Luckily, after a few listens, it's very easy to distinguish the songs from each other.
Chris van der Linden is a very talented musician, and he shows this throughout Lighttown Closure. His voice is especially unique, but he's also great at creating an atmospheric mood with the keyboards, guitars, and hypnotic drum programming. The production helps enhance this even more with its atmospheric and airy style.
Conclusion:
Lighttown Closure is a solid album from a very talented musician. If you think this sounds like something you may like, I highly recommend going to Fourteen Twentysix's website, where you can find the album generously offered for free download. For me, this is a high quality and enjoyable album, but not something I'll put on too frequently. 3 stars are deserved for this really good album.
Track Listing
1) AM
2) After The Storm
3) Closing Hours
4) Gone Today
5) Tonight I
6) Signals In The Sky
7) Descending
8) White Paint
9) Lashes
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