Album Review: The Sacramental Traffic Lights EP by Candice Gordon

Berlin-based, Dublin-born Candice Gordon has been crafting a haunting and unique take on gothic post-punk since 2012. Now with a debut LP and a good number of punchy singles under her belt, Gordon takes a more mellow direction on her newest EP.

Sacramental Traffic Lights is a spacious and stripped down affair, with Gordon’s vocals rawer and more intimate than on her previous work. The sprawling title track begins the EP with a relaxed guitar riff and delicate cymbal crash. Indeed, it almost feels like the track is in slow motion, with Gordon drawing out every word in a low register.

She hits a sonic climax on ‘The Thinnest Veil’, a song about mortality, on which she shows off her incredible range and vocal control. Chill-inducing in its intricacy and power, the chorus is the loudest section of the whole record. The organ and fuzzy guitars, meanwhile, feel like they’re from another dimension.

The EP also showcases Gordon’s poetic side, especially with a musical rendition of William Butler Yeats’ ‘The Song Of Wandering Aengus’. Though the record explores different influences, they’re all held together by the brooding tone and Gordon’s superb vocals. Overall, a great showcase of her talent.