Stereo Synths and Symphonic Cliffs: Javelin – Hi Beams (Album Review)

Fresh out of the oven, the lo-fi stereophonic sounds of Javelin‘s second full-length, Hi Beams hit the record store shelves on Tuesday morning. The album begins with a driving drum line and outpouring clear vocals. This upbeat vibe allows for the common listener to sink into the continual harmonies which are transmuted throughout the constantly alternating tracks on the album. Sweeping synths and simplistic vocals enhances the focus of the album during the sentimental tracks. Much like Javelin’s first record, No Más, a variety of contrasting samples adorn this album. A few continual themes remain within the sparse vocal melodies; most of which are minimally altered during the listening experience.

There are plenty of potential singles spread out between the more artistic tracks. The leading track, Light Out is definitely one of things along with the synthetic bass-filled Airfields. A personal favorite of mine that caused me to stop and reminisce back to the 60s is the beautiful Beatles-esque City Pals. The synth transforms the vocal harmonies into one analogous to Abbey Road‘s Moog based symphonic sound. Check out the soon-to-be-hit single on the stream below:

You can buy the album on Vinyl from Insound, on Amazon (MP3 & CD), eMusic, and the faithful iTunes.

-DJ Desman