Landing - Sphere
(K)
Landing's second album for K Records opens with a prophetic notion, "We are always on the outside." Listening to Sphere, as a listener, I can't help but feel trapped in the cold, dark reaches of space, constantly trying to pierce the atmosphere, but always bouncing off instead. What is most peculiar, though, is that this is a warm album. It's inviting, like all those perfectly decorated earthtone painted living rooms you see on home-improvement shows. But, like those rooms, it feels just out of reach. There's a delicate balance between letting the listener get too close, but not pushing them too far that Landing are playing with here. And thankfully, in most instances, they pull this off with flying coolors.
Landing are at their best on the instrumental tracks and in the flowing passages laced in reverb and delay. This is not to say that the vocal moments aren't good, because they are, but there is a more natural feeling to when the microphones are turned off. "Where the Leaves..." is a perfect example of this. Melancholy guitar lines skirt along the surface while ethereal drones float underneath. Combined with the slow tempo and light drums, there's enough atmosphere to hypnotize the listener into a trance. Even when Aaron Snow's vocals are obscured slightly, it sounds more like a ghost calling out from beyond the pale. It's beautiful and a very haunting way. In this context, it is complete. While parts of the track have more audible vocals, they aren't needed. The message of the song comes blaring through in the music alone. Musically, this is hopelessly beautiful and shows Landing's honed skills as songwriters.
However, the vocals on Sphere can't be ignored. Adrienne and Aaron Snow both have soft voices that, even when they are prominent in the mix, never overpower any of the music. "Into the Silence" has a murky ambience to it that is reminiscent of a lighthouse shrouded in fog. Adrienne's voice is the beam of light shot through the haze to guide lost ships safely home. Again, the listener is nothing more than a spectator watching events unfold. As distorted guitar drones rise slowly from the depths of the song, there is an elegance that saturates Snow's voice. Seeing ship after ship make it safely to port, you can't help but fear the worst each time. Snow makes it all seem so simple, like a guardian angel watching over her flock, but you from the outside, it seems on the verge of disaster. The subdued nature of "Into the Silence" is proof that despite doing something intrinsically beautiful and, at its foundation, difficult, Landing are completely comfortable. They've reached a level of confidence that allows them to seamlessy move through uncharted passages with ease.
The highlight of Sphere, though, is the short "Solstice." Rising from the ashes of a fallen star, the song slowly builds up to a crescendo in its three minute lifespan. High frequency, delayed guitars fall like silver rain over backlit meadows. The entire track feels like a cathartic release of stored energy. It's like the first hints of spring after a long, cold winter. Everything comes back to life; everyone is stretching their arms. This is where we all want to be, underneath a bright yellow sun in fields of white gold. Even the staunchest cynic will find enough beauty in "Solstice" to be moved. There are fifty bands trying to create moments like this, but few have the pure skill to pull it off like Landing. This is one of the best tracks I've heard from this band and makes me long for the crisp mornings in mid-March when I can smell the dew-covered grass. Excellent.
Landing have created their own world. They are like a band inside a bubble, doing whatever they please, but allowing their listeners close enough to feel the heat from their creation. Sphere is an appropriate title for this album as it encapsulates all the emotions, ideas, and sounds that go along with this idea. As a listener, I am happy to just sit back and watch. While there may not be any of the long, drawn-out drones as on previous albums, this more concise package suits Landing well. It's proof they are operating on their own terms, without any external distractions. Considering the results, this is how it should always be.
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