Son Lux

Son Lux is an American experimental band. Originally the solo project and moniker of founding member Ryan Lott, the band's first three albums, At War with Walls & Mazes, We Are Rising and Lanterns shaped the band's unique sound through post-rock and electronica influences.

Son Lux
Son Lux in 2016. From left to right: Ian Chang, Ryan Lott and Rafiq Bhatia.
Background information
OriginNew York, United States
Genres
Years active2008–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitesonluxmusic.com
Members

With the release of their fourth studio album, Bones, in 2015, Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang joined Son Lux, transforming the project into a three-piece band. After the release of the extended plays (EPs), Stranger Forms and Remedy, the band's fifth album, Brighter Wounds, was released in February 2018.[1][2]

History

Son Lux started in 2008 as the moniker and solo recording project of American musician and composer Ryan Lott. Their debut studio album, At War with Walls & Mazes, was released in March of that same year.[3] Following this release, NPR named Son Lux "Best New Artist" on their program All Songs Considered.[4]

Lott then released the second album, We Are Rising, on May 17, 2011, recorded in the entire month of February for the RPM Challenge.[5] Adam Kivel, writing for Consequence of Sound, described the album as "the dark, operatic middle ground between Owen Pallett and In Rainbows-era Radiohead or Wild Beasts' fantastic, operatic heights."[6]

Son Lux signed with Joyful Noise Recordings in May 2013, the same month that their "haunting rendition" of "Black Waters" was featured in the epnoymous flexi-disc series released by Joyful Noise. After the announcement of Lott joining Joyful Noise, the project released "TEAR", a conceptual 7" featuring one new song in two distinct parts. Lanterns was then released on October 29, 2013.[7] It includes vocals from then label-mate Stranger Cat, the musical project of Cat Martino.[8] The lead single "Lost It To Trying" was named one of Pitchfork's Best New Tracks.[9]

In 2014, Son Lux released the extended play (EP) Alternate Worlds, which contained re-imagined songs from Lanterns, including a version of "Easy" with vocal contributions from Lorde.[10][11][12] Later in 2014, Glassnote announced that they had signed Son Lux worldwide.[13] Additionally, Lott composed the score and soundtrack for the 2014 film, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.[14]

In 2015, Lott was featured on The Art Assignment in a project that invites viewers to work collaboratively around music that he wrote for the program.[15]

The project's fourth album, Bones, was released on June 23, 2015.[16][17] With the release of the album, the project transformed into a trio when touring members Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang joined Lott as members of the band.

On July 15, 2016, Son Lux appeared on stage at the Montreux Jazz Festival as a guest of Woodkid at the "Woodkid and Friends" evening.[18]

On April 7, 2017, the band released the song "Dangerous", simultaneously announcing the song as the lead single from their fourth EP, Remedy, which released on May 12.[19] On December 15, 2017, a song titled "Eazy" by hip-hop artist G-Eazy was released featuring sampled audio from "Easy".[20]

Son Lux released their fifth album, Brighter Wounds, on February 9, 2018 on their new record label, City Slang. The album received a review of 7.3 out of 10 points on Pitchfork.[2][21][22]

On April 5, 2019, Son Lux released a box set with one of their earlier labels, Joyful Noise Recordings, that has two reissued early albums and a new album of unreleased recordings, Remnants.[23] In May, 2020, the collection entitled Reincarnates was released. This collection, much like Remnants consisted of previously unheard or rare tracks, including three reworkings of "Change is Everything" from the Bones album, and a new version of "Remedy" (entitled "Remedy, Surging Sea", and included a crowd-sourced choir of over 300 voices).

Members

Current members
  • Ryan Lott - producer, composer, keyboards, vocals (2008–present)
  • Rafiq Bhatia - guitars, producer, composer (2015–present; touring member ?-2015)
  • Ian Chang - drums, producer, composer (2015–present; touring member ?-2015)

Discography
Son Lux playing in 2014 at the "Way Back When Festival" in Dortmund, Germany

Albums

EPs
  • Weapons (Anticon, 2010)
  • Alternate Worlds (Joyful Noise, 2014)
  • Stranger Forms (Joyful Noise, 2016)
  • Remedy (Joyful Noise, 2017)
  • Dream State (City Slang, 2018)
  • The Fool You Need (City Slang, 2018)
  • Yesterday's Wake (City Slang, 2018)
  • Labor (City Slang, 2019)

Compilations
  • Remnants (Joyful Noise, 2019)
  • Reincarnates (2020, a collection of previously unheard or rare tracks)[24]

Other

Music videos
  • "Break" (2008)
  • "Stay" (2008)
  • "Wither" (2009)
  • "War" (2009)
  • "Weapons VII" (2010)
  • "Lost it to Trying" (2013)
  • "Alternate World" (2014)
  • "Lanterns Lit" (2014)
  • "Lost it to Trying (Mouths Only Lying)" (2014)
  • "Easy" (2014)
  • "Change is Everything" (2015)
  • "You Don't Know Me" (2015)
  • "Undone" (2016)
  • "Cage of Bones" (2016)
  • "Breathe Out" (2016)
  • "Dangerous" (2017)
  • "Ransom" (2017)
  • "Slowly" (2018)
  • "All Directions" (2018)
  • "The Fool You Need" (2018)
  • "Yesterday's Wake" (2018)

References
  1. "And Then There Were Three: An Interview with Son Lux". PopMatters. 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  2. "Brighter Wounds, by Son Lux". Bandcamp. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  3. Brown, Marisa. "Son Lux". Allmusic.
  4. "The Year In Music From All Songs Considered". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  5. Fitzmauriceon, Larry (March 28, 2011). "New Release: Son Lux: We Are Rising". Pitchfork Media.
  6. Kivel, Adam. "Album Review: Son Lux - We Are Rising". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2013-10-24.
  7. "Son Lux Signs with Joyful Noise". Joyfulnoiserecordings.com. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  8. "Stranger Cat // In The Wilderness". Joyful Noise Recordings. Retrieved 2015-08-16.
  9. Greene, Jayson. ""Lost It To Trying"[Best New Track]". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  10. "Announcing...Son Lux "Alternate Worlds"". Joyful Noise Recordings. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  11. Martins, Chris (4 March 2014). "Lorde and Son Lux Collaborate on Menacing 'Easy (Switch Screens)'". Spin. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  12. "Alternate Worlds – EP". United States: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  13. "GLASSNOTE RECORDS ANNOUNCE SIGNING OF SON LUX". Glassnote Records. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  14. "Original Music From And Inspired By: The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby" – via Amazon.
  15. "Collaborate With Son Lux - Ryan Lott". The Art Assignment. PBS Digital Studios. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  16. Gordon, Jeremy. "Son Lux Announce New Album Bones". Pitchfork News. Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  17. Oliphint, Joel (June 23, 2015). "Son Lux: Bones". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  18. "Woodkid and Friends at Montreux Jazz Festival". Archived from the original on 2016-06-22.
  19. Geslani, Michelle (7 April 2018). "Son Lux announce new Remedy EP, share "Dangerous" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  20. G-Eazy – Eazy, retrieved 2018-02-11
  21. "Son Lux: Brighter Wounds Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  22. "Review: Son Lux, 'Brighter Wounds'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-02-11.
  23. "Son Lux | Reissues & Remnants | Joyful Noise Recordings". Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  24. "Reincarnates". Bandcamp.com. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  25. "Son Lux Signs". Joyfulnoiserecordings.com. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  26. "Son Lux//Black Waters". Joyfulnoiserecordings.com. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
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