Light Asylum (album)

Last updated

Light Asylum
Light Asylum - Light Asylum.png
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 1, 2012 (2012-05-01)
Recorded2011–2012
Studio
  • Gary's Electric Studio (Brooklyn, New York)
  • Stratosphere Sound (New York City)
Genre
Length48:27
Label Mexican Summer
Producer Light Asylum
Light Asylum chronology
In Tension
(2010)
Light Asylum
(2012)
Singles from Light Asylum
  1. "Shallow Tears"
    Released: 2012

Light Asylum is the only full-length studio album by American electronic music duo Light Asylum. It was released on May 1, 2012, via Mexican Summer. Recording sessions took place at Gary's Electric Studio in Brooklyn in January 2012 and at Stratosphere Sound in New York in 2011. Production was handled by members Shannon Funchess and Bruno Coviello.

Contents

The song "A Certain Person" was previously released on the duo's 2010 In Tension extended play. Its accompanying music video was directed by Eden Batki and Shannon Funchess. [1] "Shallow Tears", the lead single off of the album, can be heard in the first episode of 2019 television series Russian Doll . A music video for "Heart of Dust" was directed by Grant Worth and David Riley. [2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 65/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Consequence of Sound C– [5]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Mixmag 3/5 [7]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Pitchfork 6.1/10 [9]
PopMatters 6/10 [10]
Spectrum Culture3.75/5 [11]
Spin 8/10 [12]
Under the Radar Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]

Light Asylum was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 65 based on fourteen reviews. [3]

AllMusic's Heather Phares wrote: "it's not for the faint of heart, but anyone partial to heavy, brooding, uncompromising music will likely be gladly carried away by it". [4] Priya Elan of NME called it "a thrilling joy ride of an album". [8] Puja Patel of Spin resumed: "Brooklyn darkwave duo fuel electro-goth rage with industrial beat-machines and amorphous Grace Jones swag". [12] Michael Merline of Spectrum Culture wrote: "Light Asylum is an album of utterly enthralling moments stretched out to the point of breaking, their repetitive tension lending one headphone banger after another the kind of exhausting gravity Funchess seems to be mining better than anyone else out there. It's all pretty overwhelming, but totally worth ending up a sweaty, exhausted heap at the end". [11] Austin Trunick of Under the Radar also praised the album, writing "Light Asylum has made a stellar debut album, but it's clear this singer's full potential hasn't yet been tapped". [13] Zach Kelly of Pitchfork concluded: "part of what makes listening to Light Asylum so frustrating is a nagging want to see her talent mobilized to the fullest, to roll up your sleeves and try to make a Light Asylum in your own image". [9]

In mixed reviews, Alex Young of Consequence stated: "Light Asylum is intimidating, but the band's goth pop comes with an undeniable groove that's still easy to enjoy". [5] Digby Bodenham of DIY found "there is a willful lack of originality on the album in so much as at times it has such a faithful synth-pop sound that you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a 1980s reissue". [6] Stephen Worthy of Mixmag resumed: "Funchess' extraordinary voice will get much attention, but this is the full package". [7] Brice Ezell of PopMatters summed up with "despite its imperfections, Light Asylum is a must-listen for those interested in synth-pop or the Brooklyn scene in general, and Light Asylum are a band worth keeping on the radar". [10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Shannon Funchess and Bruno Coviello.

Light Asylum track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Hour Fortress"4:46
2."Pope Will Roll"4:36
3."IPC"5:34
4."Heart of Dust"3:53
5."Sins of the Flesh"5:34
6."Angel Tongue"6:40
7."Shallow Tears"5:08
8."At Will"3:36
9."End of Days"4:14
10."A Certain Person"4:26
Total length:48:27

Personnel

Related Research Articles

Trip hop is a musical genre that originated in the late 1980s in the United Kingdom, especially Bristol. It has been described as a psychedelic fusion of hip hop and electronica with slow tempos and an atmospheric sound, often incorporating elements of jazz, soul, funk, reggae, dub, R&B, and other genres, typically of electronic music, as well as sampling from movie soundtracks and other eclectic sources.

<i>Forget</i> (Twin Shadow album) 2010 studio album by Twin Shadow

Forget is the debut studio album by American musician Twin Shadow. It was produced in Brooklyn, New York by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gesaffelstein</span> French record producer and DJ

Mike Lévy, known professionally as Gesaffelstein, is a French music programmer, DJ, songwriter and record producer from Lyon. He has worked alongside artists such as the Weeknd, Daft Punk, Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, Electric Youth, Haim, Miss Kittin, The Hacker, Jean-Michel Jarre, Lil Nas X, Charli XCX, and Pharrell Williams.

<i>Kill for Love</i> 2012 studio album by Chromatics

Kill for Love is the fourth studio album by American electronic music band Chromatics. It was released on March 26, 2012, by Italians Do It Better. On May 7, 2012, a drumless version of the album, containing 11 songs with no percussion, was made available by the band for free download.

<i>Lost Songs</i> (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead album) 2012 studio album by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Lost Songs is the eighth studio album by Austin, Texas art rock outfit ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, released October 22, 2012 on Superball Music.

<i>Shaking the Habitual</i> 2013 studio album by the Knife

Shaking the Habitual is the fourth and final studio album by Swedish electronic music duo the Knife. It was released on 5 April 2013 by Rabid Records. The album was released as a double CD and triple LP, and as a digital download. The album was lauded by critics at the time of its release and was featured on several critics' year-end lists.

<i>True Romance</i> (Charli XCX album) 2013 studio album by Charli XCX

True Romance is the debut studio album by English singer Charli XCX. It was released on 12 April 2013 by Asylum and Atlantic Records. Originally scheduled for release in April 2012, the album's release was delayed for a full year and had been in the making since early 2010 when Charli met with producer Ariel Rechtshaid in Los Angeles. To promote the album's release, Charli embarked on a three-date UK promotional tour in April 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light Asylum</span> American electronic music duo

Light Asylum is a Brooklyn-based electronic music project from Shannon Funchess.

<i>Hotel Valentine</i> 2014 studio album by Cibo Matto

Hotel Valentine is the third and final album by New York City-based band Cibo Matto. It was released through Sean Lennon's label Chimera Music on Valentine's Day, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie (musician)</span> British music producer and DJ (1986–2021)

Sophie Xeon, known mononymously as SOPHIE, was an English music producer, songwriter, and DJ. Her work is known for its brash take on pop music and is distinguished by experimental sound design, "sugary" synthesized textures, and incorporation of underground dance styles. It would help pioneer the 2010s hyperpop microgenre.

<i>Trst</i> (album) 2012 studio album by TR/ST

TRST is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music project TR/ST. Self-produced by the band, it was released on February 28, 2012, by Arts & Crafts Productions. The record features "gloomy synth-pop" and "fully-fleshed dark wave" sounds that have been described as "a combination of gothic rock and trance pop."

<i>Rhine Gold</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Choir of Young Believers

Rhine Gold is the second studio album by Copenhagen-based Danish chamber pop band Choir of Young Believers, released in Europe on February 27, 2012, on Tigerspring and in the United States on March 20, 2012, on Ghostly International.

<i>Okovi</i> 2017 studio album by Zola Jesus

Okovi is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. It was released on September 8, 2017 by Sacred Bones Records. The album was written in Danilova's hometown in Wisconsin, where she retreated after dealing with depression and dark times experienced by her close friends.

<i>Late Night Tales: Hot Chip</i> 2020 compilation album by Hot Chip

Late Night Tales: Hot Chip is a DJ mix album compiled by electronic band Hot Chip under the Night Time Stories label. The album, like others in the series, is composed of songs chosen by the band, songs performed by the band themselves, and a final track that sequences every song into one mix. It has received positive reception.

Emma Kirby, known as Elkka, is a Welsh producer, vocalist, and DJ. With a background of songwriter and vocalist for Elkka is best known for winning the Essential Mix of the Year (BBC1) in 2021. She is also known as the co-founder of femme culture, which she founded with her partner Alex Lambert, an inclusive queer platform. The label organizes the annual HeForShe compilation, and all profits go to the charity U.N. Women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Funchess</span> American musician

Shannon Funchess is an American musician, producer, dancer, and performance artist. She is best known for her work as lead vocalist and composer for Brooklyn-based electronic music duo Light Asylum, which she founded in 2007 with musician Bruno Coviello. Funchess has recorded and toured with a number of electronic and alternative acts, including The Knife, Peaches, LCD Soundsystem, Clan of Xymox, and TV on the Radio. She has also served as a dancer and actor in various video productions and art performances, and as a DJ for Brooklyn radio station The Lot Radio.

<i>Return to Archive</i> 2023 studio album by Matmos

Return to Archive is the fourteenth studio album by electronic duo Matmos, released on November 3, 2023. It uses non-music material sourced from the Smithsonian Folkways collection in its composition; the album itself was commissioned to commemorate Folkways' 75th anniversary.

<i>Some Things Never Stay the Same</i> 2013 studio album by Heidecker & Wood

Some Things Never Stay the Same is the second full-length studio album by American folk rock duo Heidecker & Wood, including comedian Tim Heidecker and singer-songwriter Davin Wood. It has received positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. "Light Asylum – A Certain Person". YouTube . August 19, 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  2. "Light Asylum – Heart of Dust [Official Video]". May 16, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2024 via YouTube.
  3. 1 2 "Critic Reviews for Light Asylum". Metacritic . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Light Asylum - Light Asylum | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Young, Alex (April 30, 2012). "Album Review: Light Asylum - Light Asylum". Consequence Of Sound . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Bodenham, Digby (June 11, 2012). "Light Asylum - Light Asylum". DIY . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Worthy, Stephen (July 11, 2012). "Mixmag | LIGHT ASYLUM". Mixmag . Retrieved October 26, 2024 via Wayback Machine.
  8. 1 2 Elan, Priya (June 12, 2012). "Light Asylum - 'Light Asylum'". NME . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Kelly, Zach (April 30, 2012). "Light Asylum: Light Asylum". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Ezell, Brice (August 2, 2012). "Light Asylum: Light Asylum, PopMatters". PopMatters . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Merline, Michael (May 1, 2012). "Light Asylum: Light Asylum". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  12. 1 2 Patel, Puja (May 10, 2012). "Light Asylum, Light Asylum (Mexican Summer)". Spin . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Trunick, Austin (May 3, 2012). "Light Asylum | Light Asylum". Under the Radar . Retrieved October 26, 2024.