LISTEN: Son Lux - "Rising" + We Are Rising LP

Photo by Brenden Beecy

New York-based electronic artist Ryan Lott (aka Son Lux) is set to release his new sophomore album, We Are Rising, next Tuesday, April 26th. At this time, I have not given the album a full spin yet*, but I can tell you that it is an album you can really get lost in -- and I mean that in the best way possible. We Are Rising is a special album, not just for the aforementioned reason, but specifically because Lott wrote and recorded the entire thing in one month -- just two months ago, to be exact. Yep. That's right. When you hear just one or two tracks, it's hard to believe that something so textured and fairly complex in construction could have been the product of just one month. And to top it all off, Lott had already begun work on a new Son Lux album but didn't use any of that material on what would become We Are Rising.

Was Lott so bold to draw this mission himself? Well, it was all NPR's doing. Lott was already busy with his day job in addition to working on the intended sophomore Son Lux album when NPR contacted him about the RPM Challenge. Basically, it's an annual, international call for musicians to write and record an album (10 songs or 35 minutes) in the month of February. NPR challenged Lott, and Son Lux delivered. Check out "Rising" from the album below.

Ryan Lott on the challenge from NPR:

"My initial reaction was, 'There is no way I can do this,' " Lott says. "So I slept on it and talked to a couple of people. But honestly, it was totally a gut thing, which ended up being the theme of the month. Just go with your gut." (via NPR)

Son Lux - "Rising"


Lott's voice is smooth, gentle, and a perfect contrast to the electronic soundscape he sings over. With fragmented strings and synthesizers and layered percussion, "Rising" is a perfect example of Son Lux's unique brand of spellbinding electronic chamber pop (er, chamber electropop?). There's an almost otherworldly aura that captures the essence of standing in a forest, surrounded by a seemingly infinite sea of trees; it has that undeniably encompassing power.

For those unaware, NPR kept tabs on Son Lux's progress throughout February. You can read/watch/hear all about it here.

Son Lux's We Are Rising is out next Tuesday, April 26th through Anticon.

*Just a few tracks in. This is really, really, really good. Oh, you (yes, you) can hear the whole thing right now, too.

LISTEN: Son Lux - We Are Rising

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