That it was probably coming soon, that it must be in the process of being written and recorded, that it was in the making, I knew, or rather, I had sensed it for a long time. Ever since the release of their previous album, "Binary Suns (Part 1 - Operant Condition)," but that was a long, long time ago in 2020. It was impossible that a sequel wouldn't be made. After all, after recording and releasing an even earlier album, "The Burden of Paradise," something seemed to click, and Different Light found new life. It's not like their albums have been coming out constantly. But perhaps time was needed, time that also fueled the creation of subsequent compositions, perhaps that's why they're so catchy and melodic that you can't stop listening. But more seriously... I knew this would be a highly anticipated album since March 25th of this year, when the band first premiered a single from their upcoming album, "Fool's Errand." I knew it because the familiar and distinctive sound and melodic arrangement had returned. And so began the countdown of the days, minutes, and seconds until the release of the band's new release, "Binary Suns (Part 2 - Alternate Reality)." Although the album contains six tracks, I stumbled upon one "uncut" file that completely captured my time and attention. It took over my players everywhere and looped without a moment's pause.
Now, let's cut it up a bit to show its detailed contents.
And almost like the opening of "Binary Suns (Part 1 - Operant Condition)," the first sound that reaches the listener here is a piano, this time a bit more delicate. While on the first disc, its sound immediately brings a storm of melody, here the band adds a fragment of dialogue that heightens the uncertainty of what will happen next. And then, the first of the mini-suites on this release, "Mindspeaker," takes a familiar path with a melodic march. For five minutes, the first part ("Parallel Fantasy") begins to ask questions about feelings, relationships, and things incomprehensible yet so very human. And then, it's unclear how we become entangled in the subsequent parts of this first of six stories. The following fragments – "Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup," "The Escape Room," "Mythopoeia," "An Unenviable Fate," "The Singularity," and finally "Labor of Love" – present further questions… about how to manage one's life, about how to cope with adversity, about how to avoid what is unfriendly and unpleasant. This is also an attempt to answer them in the moving final part of this mini-suite… an answer so simple and obvious… taking one's life into one's own hands.
The second mini-suite on this album is titled "The Syncretist," and from the very first moment, it captivates with its powerful musical message. The synthesizers and guitar chords of the first part of this suite, "Sober Dancing," create a tightly woven soundscape for the second part, "Pillage of Souls," full of lush guitar riffs and heartwarming words about... our personal relationships. Listen intently to the final guitar solo, which also serves as a majestic introduction to the third part, "Full Circle." Acoustic guitar, a simple delivery, and a warm narrative resonate in this tale of life's trials and tribulations, while the orchestration that appears at the end adds a touch of gravity. The fourth part is a summary, an attempt to answer the eternal question of every person in crisis... where am I at in life? “Now Just Keep Well” responds with the full power of the melody, which, enveloped in the delicate sound of the orchestra, takes on an epic dimension and flows, captivating the listener with its significance.
The only single known before the album's release, "A Fool's Errand," is a vibrant, exuberant sound, tempered by occasional piano. What the band manages to achieve with this composition is a vocal line perfectly aligned with the music, floating on the wings of this... well... undoubtedly radio hit. Prepare for seven minutes of musical flight; it's going to be pure joy.
What might surprise you about "Constant Silver Lining"? Perhaps not with the first part, "Living The Dream," – it begins with the band's favorite opening motif… delicate synthesizers (though in this case, played in the best style of German electronic music masters). But already halfway through the second minute, a powerful, as-yet-unheard-of-different-light guitar prodigy begins, announcing that this composition will showcase the band's raw, powerful, and slightly metal side. And despite a slight initial slowdown in the suite's rhythm in the second part ("Our Destination"), a decisive progressive rock sound ultimately prevails, dominating the next part – "Apophenia." This part is a two-minute showcase of expressive arrangement and guitar-synth mastery. The fourth part of this mini-suite ("An Endful Winter"), once again in typical band fashion, musically summarizes the entire piece and reveals and emphasizes another "novelty." It's an incredibly successful accumulation of vocal curiosities. Choirs, polyphonies, duets… everything sounds perfect in this favorite song of mine.
The three-part suite "The Stalker Talks" (Part I – "Happiness (Part 2)", Part II – "A State Of Disarray", Part III – "Binary Child") continues the powerful musical message of the previous suite with a magnificent two-minute opening, which in the second part transforms into a ballad for piano and voice, before surprising the listener once again with backing vocals and once again captivating with a flowing instrumental display. This is another characteristic of the band – weaving longer instrumental sections into multi-threaded musical narratives, allowing for appreciation of the instrumental artistry of its members, while also giving the individual compositions a much-needed "breathing space" and respite from complex arrangement structures. Against this backdrop, "Binary Child" – the final part of this mini-suite – sounds bitter, retaining its melodic resonance and emphasizing the musical tragedy.
"(…) So now is the time to say…" – these words begin the track "Last Call," which summarizes the stories told on this album. An exceptionally successful composition to conclude an exceptionally successful release. A three-minute, compact, rock-y, and melodic tale with (well, I'll write that again) the band's signature tempo changes, which, while being elements of a larger whole, can also exist as individual, super-small suites. And kudos to the band for that. This treatment of musical matter allows the listener a certain freedom… this album can be listened to in one sitting, without dividing it into individual tracks, or with just such a division… each composition separately as a distinct story.
This highly successful album can be viewed as a single, over-an-hour-long track that delivers an immeasurable amount of pure musical pleasure, or as a collection of successive small stories, miniatures, and mini-suites. I suggest you try both… they should be a hit with listeners seeking wonderful melodies, captivating arrangements, and engaging, beautifully played and vocally developed compositions. This is another excellent album from Different Light, whose lineup includes Trevor Tabone (keyboards, vocals), Petr Lux (guitars, vocals, bass), Jirka Matousek (bass), David Filak (drums), and Lucy Lux (vocals). The album was officially released on April 24th and is available on the band's Bandcamp. Unfortunately, due to a delay, the CD release will be in mid-May.
