Album Review: Lightning Bug - 'A Color of the Sky'

Lightning Bug brings us A Color of the Sky, their first project as a live, five piece band. The five of them put this record together in a studio made from an old house, retreating into their own world to hone their sound.

Straight away, the record's opener The Return is open and intriguing. Vocals lilt over a sparse arrangement that gradually grows. Layers and layers, melodies and melodies until the track becomes a glowing, whirring crescendo that gradually ebbs away. The Right Thing Is Hard To Do follows with it’s glorious choruses. The two tracks open the album well, drawing you into the world the band have created. 

The release features a range of genres tied together cohesively, September Song, pt. II has folk leanings wrapped up in a well produced expanse. I Lie Awake comes later and showcases walls of shoegaze guitars. The track that proceeds it, Song of the Bell, displays the effort put into the sound design of the record. The band play the track tightly while fluttering, jittering additions surround them, adding chaos to the order. 

If you’re a fan of music you can disappear into, I can’t think of a better release than A Color of the Sky. It's a positively enchanting little record with ear candy for days. 

Words by Nathan Blackstone

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