Lightning Dust - Nostalgia Killer
Western Vinyl
Released June 9th
Somewhere out there, in an alternative universe, there is an entire existence that was robbed of the opportunity to experience Nostalgia Killer. While there are plenty of missed opportunities in our present reality, it’s a crying miracle that we at least have this work of modern art to accompany us. Not to dwell on the what-ifs, but it is important to note that Nostalgia Killer is very much a labour of love. In a brief history; Amber Webber (Vancouver, BC) and Joshua Wells (currently in Chicago, IL) stepped away from their bipartisan group Black Mountain, to focus on their developing side project, Lightning Dust. Partway through the development of their latest album, they ended their personal relationship whilst maintaining their professional partnership. As such, a palpable undercurrent was infused into the story that Nostalgia Killer was born to tell. Webber said, “I suffer from extreme nostalgia, I romanticize most memories and can become torturously sentimental. I wrote the songs on NK as an attempt to let go of some nostalgia and make space for the present.”
The give and take she speaks to is inherently apparent in a track such as ‘Rapids and Rivers’, a track that required nearly a year of space for Webber to come back to and complete despite the emotional toll. Indicative to the title, both the sound and story take us through an emotional still under a dream pop sky before bursting into rolling, white capped finale. As creators, both Webber and Wells showcase incredible dexterity as they slip to and from various genres, styles, and feels in a natural and cohesive way. In ‘Run’, Webber uses her voice as a weapon against the heart, held within a frame of sound reminiscent to Fleetwood Mac before sliding into a pool of a darker, more saturated synth before returning to the stormier elements of folk and low-key americana. The dream pop/folk ballad is also given a few moments, such as in ‘Fallen New’ and ‘Feel That’, which is abruptly followed by a briefly motivated ‘Only You’.
Considering NK was recorded via correspondence over a total of 3 sessions, Wells makes his skillset greatly apparent in his ability to mix and master digitally transferred recordings into a seamless tale. One could nearly be convinced that, aside from the undercurrent of longing for the past and potential of simultaneously moving on, the duo were in step in every aspect of life as they couldn’t possibly miss a beat. But as afore mentioned, this was a labour of love and, as if for the kids, they continue to deliver as you can catch them at Edmonton’s Purple City Music Festival this August.
- Frankie Undseth
