- Earlier this year, LNS debuted on 1080p with a notable EP. The Canadian producer, real name Laura Sparrow, took the alien sounds of Detroit electro and injected them with melody and human emotion. That record's follow-up arrives on another promising label: Freakout Cult, the project led by DJ Fett Burger and Jayda G (who released a split mix cassette with Sparrow in August).
Freakout Cult's releases are anchored to the dance floor, but Sparrow's record points to outer space. The title, Heliacal Rising, refers to an annual astronomical event, and the tracks take their names from celestial bodies. Even if you're not well-versed in Polynesian terms for star clusters, they still suit the music perfectly.
Heliacal Rising is a send-off into dark but dreamy electro, with clear tones and spacious atmospheres. "R'lyeh (E-GZR Mix)" is the only aggressive track, likely due to a turnaround by E-GZR (who has worked with another Fett Burger outlet, Wania). The vibe is similar on "Cygnus," a smoldering electro stepper. "Herer" and "Leo" are both filled with light, but where the first is strange and sci-fi, the second is blissfully soothing (it's also the only 4/4 track here). On "Minas (E-Version)," an edit from Sparrow's previous EP, she adds just a fraction more detail to the void. "Matariki" hits the coldest note. The first 12 bars suggest a vile electro cut, before it's all enveloped in a gorgeous haze of blue. The sadness is universal, but constructed in a way that underlies Sparrow's special style.
TracklistA1 R'lyeh (E-GZR Mix)
A2 Matariki
A3 Cygnus
B1 Herer
B2 Minas (E-Version)
B3 Leo