Album Review: Black City Lights - Another Life (2013)

Earlier this month Wellington’s own Black City Lights released its debut album, Another Life, on the Brooklyn-based indie label Stars & Letters Records. Ironically enough, that’s Brooklyn as in NYC, not the central Wellington suburb of the same name.

Black City Lights is the youthful duo of Calum Robb and Julia Catherine Parr, and Another Life is also available as a name-yer-price download on Bandcamp. You may have to be quick though, as the BCL Facebook page suggests it’s available in this form only until “the end of this week”. You can get it here:

Black City Lights - Another Life

So far as New Zealand music in 2013 is concerned, this album is one of the best I’ve heard, and when it comes to name-yer-price downloads, well, it really does represent quite exceptional value. This is dark synthpop at its finest, regardless of where it might have been conceived or made. Another Life is a great listen, full of beautifully crafted electronic gems.
 
Currently on tour in the US, having previously supported Grimes, Robb and Parr have serious talent, and the album is a follow-up to the 2012 EP Parallels, released on the same imprint. Make sure you get in quick ... but even if you miss the name-yer-price deadline, I still strongly recommend that you pick up a copy in whatever form you can.

Here’s a sampler track from the album – 'Give It Up':