CD Review of...
Illumina
Nightlight
By: Alexandra Harris
Illumina’s Nightlight could put an insomniac to sleep. The
young Indie group’s debut album expresses heartbreak and love—sometimes
cliché—with an organized chaos of horns, strings, vocals and a various
assortment of sound effects in a soft, tranquil manner yet a psychedelic mood
subtler than Pink Floyd.
But the group cleverly crafts their album with cries for
attention on each track. Songwriters and vocalists Jen Appel, Marc Goodman and
Minna Choi share their vocals on Nightlight’s 14 tracks. Appel opens the album
with “Not Really,” her voice soothing, yet filled with intensity and emotion
combining with a string arrangement and guitar to aide in the eerie ambiance.
Appel also pairs up with Goodman on tracks such as “In Effigy,” “Scratch and
Save” and “Thoughtful Letters.” Appel’s softness blended with Goodman’s raw and
rough vocals does not over power the array of instruments or the voice of Appel.
In the jumble of music, Choi lends her voice to a few songs but the
participation is minimal. On “Lullaby,” the most beautiful track on the album,
her airy, delicate, voice coats the lyrics with a child-like innocence.
While the arrangements are reminders of clichés thrown around
the music industry, the seven members contribute be it on “Acceptance as a
Gift,” or “We’re In Love Again,” with timpani, guitar, standing bass or violin.
Illumina also utilizes other musicians for xylophone and sounds of cash
registers—a la “Money” on “Dark Side of the Moon”—or banging on pipes.
The Pennsylvania knows when to end a song, stopping it
abruptly, leading right into the next track. So there is a method to the chaos.