So what in the hell is Lansing-Dreiden? An art collective? A band? A cult? The bio on the Kemado Records website states: “Lansing-Dreiden is a company that sees no distinction between art and commerce… or anything else. Hence, the output of the organization may manifest itself in various forms, from video to music to product design to the construction of narratives.” That didn’t help much. They live in New York, they don’t do in person interviews, and they don’t play live. What I can tell you is that their latest EP, A Sectioned Beam, is pop goodness. Since the EP is only four songs, lets go track by track:
01. “Locks In Shadows” – Think of 60’s pop slathered in reverb. This is the type of song I would expect to hear on the soundtrack from Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 film Blow-Up.
02. “Spectrum Of Vapor” – The vocals and song structure sounds like Air made sweet sweet love to the Beta Band. Droning keyboards and rolling timpani drums float along with harmonic lines in the vein of the Beach Boys.
03. “A Sectioned Beam” – Now we’ve jumped from the 60’s to the 80’s, taking on a slightly electro feel. If you strip away the vocals, there are elements of the Happy Mondays and Primal Scream underneath.
04. “First Response” – The track begins with 80’s synth drums and keys, whisking me back to the 80’s movie Mannequin. This track has to be a long lost b-side or outtake from New Order.
What I admire the most about Lansing-Dreiden is their use of textures. Although their songs drift stylistically, they all contain sweeping shoegazer guitars and keyboards, keeping the EP consistently interesting. If you dig Air and the Velvet Underground, make sure to give A Sectioned Beam a listen.
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