Music
Press
“Highly original, defying easy categorization, Lamplight illuminates a vibrant new trend in the Australian contemporary music scene. With a refreshing blend of two part vocal harmonies supporting melodic and thoughtful verse and punctuated with tasteful strains of violin and double bass, this dynamic new sound is poised to win an audience both domestically and internationally” - - Michael Kyriakakis, agent/lawyer
Lead by Mijo Biscan (whom, like his fellow band members, was certainly dressed the maritime part), lamplight and a sold-out Northcote Social Club travelled an intense nautically themed journey that was part sea-shanty, part thrash, part croon, and completely fucking breathtaking. the night saw an aggressive and vivid live beast unleashed after many months of recording.
Opener A sun that will not rise, set a moody alt-rock tone for the night, and saw the duel vocalists lock into harmonies that never wavered. Old favourite Attack the sun perked up the audience, and showed the band at their acoustic and lyrical finest, as Biscan stubbornly mused, ‘I just wanna be a silly song/stuck in your silly head someday’. Ship in a bottle absolutely roared into gear as the band took absolute delight into thrashing the lead single out: the distorted lead intro carrying the creepy, ooh theme until the fierce, rhythmic climax. Biscan’s voice absolutely soared here, showing off some seriously huge and versatile pipes. It was banter at its finest, as One piece… eased into its drifty tones. Capsize showed off Kirsty Morphett’s stunning, powerful vocals, the endearing final section rising from a lengthy, moody build. The leaping vocal 7th motif completely stole the show, and was beautifully augmented by a rich choir and warm brass – a true testament to the album’s lush arrangements. This is that something that is so rewarding about Lamplight’s arrangements – glorious, endearing motifs growing out of moody, gruff bastards. Violinist Indi Avent sent a collective shiver through the audience as instrumental Amour came to it’s final moments, the gentle melody fading away under a bittersweet piano.
Closer Swallowing the key was as chaotic as ever, the violent, belted na-na-na’s disappearing under a wash of distortion. Moody, heartbreaking, stunning, fucking epic.
Adam Baidawi – Beat Magazine. Melbourne, Australia.
- Adam Baidawi - Beat Magazine - Melbourne, Australia.
Discography
Lamplight - Lamplight
8 Song LP
The Fish Will Walk...
7 Song Debut Album
Lamplight - Live at The Corner
4 Song EP
Photos
Bio
This independent Melbourne ‘alt-rock-orchestra’ has been working their way into the collective consciousness of music-lovers in Melbourne and all over the country for the past six years and more recently in Europe too. They have accrued the respect and adoration of music lovers all over for their incendiary live shows. Ranging from the intimate and gently delivered prose in music that will leave you wondering where you just went, to the enlivening, bombastic chant anthems, enough to start any mild riot.
Lamplight has had the pleasure of performing with some of its most promising contemporaries, including: Gotye, Clare Bowditch, Soko, The Lucksmiths, Jordie Lane, The Audrey’s, Skipping Girl Vinegar, Blue Bottle Kiss, Love outside Andromeda, Carus and the True Believers, Eva Popov, and Young Werther, among many others.
In the last few years, Lamplight have been added to festival line-ups around the country, including: Peats Ridge Festival, Folk Rhythm and Life, Maitreya, SOS and Green Day Out and also to festivals in Belgium, Germany and Iceland.
Award-winning filmmaker Adam Arkapaw sought out Lamplight to provide the soundtrack to his short film That Blackbird, which received much acclaim at its screenings. They subsequently collaborated on other projects, including the film clip for Lamplight’s first single, Sunlight.
Radio stations took to this single release off their debut album The Fish Will Walk…, receiving rotation on Melbourne’s community radio as well as on local radio stations across the land. Following this 2005 release, Lamplight undertook 2 national tours to expand their listener-ship and received warm responses across the board.
In early 2008, Lamplight recorded their sophomore album, from which the first single Ship in a Bottle was released. The song quickly achieved #1 status on the Triple J Unearthed Indie chart, and Lamplight were chosen as Feature Artists in early April. The launch of this album at Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club sold out on the night, and received an energetic audience response, and rave reviews. The film clip for Ship in a Bottle, created by Belinda Wiltshire, members of Lamplight, and filmmaker Campbell Hynam-Smith, was chosen as Indie Clip of the Week, has been played on several Rage shows, and was honoured as one of Rage’s Best Clips of 2008.
Other honours from individual reviewers for 2008 included Drum Mag (Syd) - #1 Best album of 2008, Drum Mag (Syd) - #2 Best gig of 2008, Drum Mag (Syd) #2 Band of 2008 and Beat Mag (Melb) - #2 Best gig of 2008. Lamplight received all these accolades ahead of the likes of the hugely popular Fleet Foxes and others.
Also in the first part of 2008, the band made a cameo appearance in a feature film titled Belladonna, by Glass Kingdom Films. Three of the songs from their second album are featured in the movie and on the soundtrack, alongside songs by Bobby Flynn.
The band toured nationally in June and July of 2008, and internationally to Europe in September and October 2008 after being accepted as part of the showcase for international industry conference Popkomm in Berlin. Other shows include performances both as part of Gotye’s touring band, and with their own schedule of gigs in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Iceland.
The release of the second single from Lamplight’s self-titled album is scheduled for June 2009, and a national tour is being organised around this release. Belladonna filmmaker Annika Glac has produced the film clip for A Sun That Will Not Rise, which will be released simultaneously. The radio edit has also been remixed by Franc Tetaz (Gotye, New Buffalo, Architecture in Helsinki). National publicity and radio airplay will be generated for this release and tour, helping to place Lamplight’s rich sound into the ears, hearts and minds of many more music lovers.
Thanks for your interest. Love, Lamplight
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