Brighton's Mirrors release debut album

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Release date: February 27th, 2011
Genre: electronic, alternative rock, synthpop

Isn't it nice to know that Lights and Offerings was created in a hippie camp? "Completely self-contained and locked away in a room full of sleeping bags, old synths and supplies of food and other consumables dropped off by their label, [Mirrors] recorded the album in a month during early Summer 2010." The band's hometown launch was last night.

"Fear Of Drowning": An ostinato to start, catchy in breif but neither happy nor sad. Synth and whale noises/"Helena Bonham Carter in Fight Club" moans soon layer with percussive elements. The repititious loops are not very exciting until after the bridge, where the things pick up.

"Look At Me": Overpowering electronic accompaniment destroys this song. However, to their credit, there are some fantastic motifs and stand-out moments weaved into the dusty (not quite murky) ambience.

"Into The Heart": There are some seriously eerie parallels between this number and Mobile's "Dusting Down The Stars". Unintentional, of course; I doubt either's heard of the other. In contrast to both the previous songs and its coincidental soul sister, "Into The Heart" is much more energetic and danceable. A predictable crowd pleaser.

"Write Through The Night": Being a nocturnal writer and all, I really like the lyrical concept. The fact that it's minimal background goes perferctly with James New's showcased melodic vocals.

"Ways To An End": I feel as if I've just discovered a younger, less murky Depeche Mode.

"Hide And Seek": Another early single, like "Ways To An End", the song takes on the sound of a lover's ballad... you know, as much of a ballad as one can probably force upon these guys. The words suggest themes of self-discovery. The synthesizer is, well, the synth is happy.

"Somewhere Strange": This is one of those pieces that place its listener in a euphoric state- which at this stage on this record, you should already be in.

"Something On Your Mind": Brutal and honest, the lyrics in the second verse complain: (I find "can" considerably tragic and relatable)
Living all your dreams to fall behind
Didn't you say,
"You can (can't?) make it without ever even trying"?
And while these things can go brilliantly either way, the repeated line of "there's something on your mind" is positively brilliant here.

"Searching In The Wilderness": Jumping right into the jive creates a smooth contrast with the preceding track. Compared to the highlights of the album, I don't find this track anything remarkable.

"Secrets": Waoh-waoh; the 10 minute and a half finale is slow progressing. A work of art, I strongly believe, with electronic spasms echoing guitar anthems on a fluttery base. If one's to win you over, it'll be "Secrets". Annoyingly enough, the magnificence is specifically "Album Only" on iTunes, where the record label is asking an inflated $1.29 for every other track. The solution? Buy a physical disc.

Lights And Offerings is a very fun album that I'm happy to have been notified about in advance. Post-punk and goth tendencies reveal appropriate influences, but depth of that level is not achieved. I'm grateful to have taken a fancy to "Ways To An End" prior to sampling the album, else I would've given up after the first two tracks. Front loaded, it is not.

Part of me expects to hear beats like "Into The Heart" and "Somewhere Strange" when at an obscure indie club, part of me would disown the idea and use them in a film' and vice versa. I marvel at the group's confidence in their isolative recording methods. Now's time to consider where their artistic concepts was conceived.

photo from Mirrors on Facebook