I am genuinely baffled that Lanterns On The Lake, an orchestral dream-pop band from Newcastle in the North of England, are not a lot bigger. They first popped up on my radar in 2011 when I picked up a copy of Rough Trade East’s album of the month for September, after a fortifying Brick Lane curry, en route to White Hart Lane to see Spurs take on the mighty Shamrock Rovers. Bottom line: in a world that warmly embraces The National and Arcade Fire, there really should be wider appreciation of these swoonsome Tynesiders.
Their debut Gracious Tide, Take Me Home is still my favourite album of 2011 – and yet they’ve got even better with time. The sublime sophomore outing Until the Colours Run showed a new found political edge to the band in the broken Britain of the 21st century. Now, the mightily impressive Beings, with the haunting voice of singer Hazel Wilde to the fore, refines this aesthetic and vision. From the beautiful opener ‘Of Dust And Matter’ through the high octane dramatics of ‘Through The Cellar Door’, it begs for more humanity, understanding and meaning in confused times – and does it in a musical setting that is never less than hugely impressive.
“In a world of plastic souls where money rules, give me meaning,” the title track implores. Lanterns On The Lake mean a lot, and they thoroughly deserve your attention.