THE FAUNS

LIGHTS (Invada)

16/20

The Fauns’ sophomore places them delicately amongst the most consistently exciting bands in the latest, gushing shoegaze revival. Leading on seamlessly from 2009’s self-titled effort, the swathing guitars and ethereal tones of instrumental opener Point Zero poses a delicate question, emphatically answered by the oozing mass of its successor, Seven Hours. The density of Lee Wood and Elio Guise’s guitars meet Michael Savage’s bass in a dramatic underpinning of the increasingly lauded Alison Garner’s pining coos. While Ease Down and In Flames welcome hearty comparisons to US indie staples the Drop Nineteens, Nothing Ever and With You traverse a more sinister path, with hypnotically grinding instrumentation plumbing deep into the listener’s veins. Best of all, though, is 4AM, where the distortion is cast aside in favour of a lighter touch, affording Garner centre stage. Rolling notes and confessional murmurs perfectly capture that indefinable early-hours isolation, and it’s remarkably potent. The Fauns are bold, proud and utterly fearless. They demand your attention.

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Words: Philip James Allen