You know what I like? I like concept albums. I like when an album is truly a sum of its parts, without one track outshining any other as merely a “single” that is meant to sell you on the rest. I mean, okay, there are exceptions to the rule; I’ll fully admit that I originally bought Aqua’s “Aquarium” because of “Barbie Girl” and Savage Garden’s self-titled debut for “I Want You” (after seeing them perform it during Nickelodeon’s Kid Choice Awards), but I eventually discovered that those albums were straight up bangers with every single track (to me). No, really!
Regardless, albums without a cohesive story or theme tend to be like a salad bar; you take what you want and leave the rest. Which is perfectly fine, as I really do enjoy plenty of albums like that, but to me there’s truly something to be said for an album which is an all around “experience” from beginning to end. Especially in these days of streaming music where it does seem like, for the most part, “whole” albums take a bit of a backseat to being merely a collection of random songs or just releasing singles instead. Some like croutons, some don’t, y’know? Continue reading
Nightlights first full-length album isn’t a new concept, as creating a real soundtrack for an imaginary film has long been a thing in synthwave, yet their take on it feels like a breath of fresh air as their more upbeat sound is welcomed in a subgenre which tends to be much darker. Their music, as well as their art, work together in perfect harmony to help bring this proposed animated feature to life and overall feels like rediscovering a childhood favorite which will bring a smile to your face.
Every release by Nightlights is not unlike a bag of candy-coated synthwave that you can’t help but gobble up by the handful as their music is a dreamy mixture of chill pop and retro dance. Their most recent release, the titular “Time Shift EP,” is no different in this regard as its not only an enjoyable album all on its own but like many of the albums in Nightlights’ catalog it provides itself as a welcomed palate cleanser to the sometimes harsher tones of other more heavier synthwave releases.
Releasing their first EP back in February, 
With a first track entitled “Press 1 To Start,” and the dreamy synth work involved, one cannot help but conjure up visions of an arcade machine’s attract screen beckoning you to come play. After pumping in your four pounds in tokens (or more; I always insist on more!), you realize that this is no mere game, but an experience to the senses in upbeat synths and overall poppy goodness. I dare you to listen without tapping a toe, bopping a head, or even doing a little bit of dancing! I couldn’t. Seriously. It’s that good.
Watermelon Banzai 