Son Lux keeps his promise with Weapons
Let's take a second to appreciate Son Lux for keeping his promises. In 2008 Son Lux, real name Ryan Lott, released At War With Walls and Mazes, a wholly artistic work that sewed classically chant-inspired, structured songs with an electronic soundscape. He refused to adhere to common pop songwriting principles and seemed to acknowledge there is a wealth of material (sonic, compositional, aesthetic) yet to be discovered. So after spending a year continuing to experiment with chant in his scoring work for dance companies from New York to Paris, he has returned to his debut album's promise with Weapons, an EP with six takes on the stellar track "Weapons," whose haunting melody appears throughout that album. There are three remixes by Anticon label mates and three full on re-imaginings of the song's themes. We hear the song -- an eerie plea for trust and intimacy -- as an orchestral interlude and also as a rap beat torn apart by label mate Alias and as a six-and-a-half minute journey through dynamics, meter and tone. As a result, we are forced to reconsider the nature of a song. Where, exactly, is the line between one song and another take on the same song, a cover, a remix and another song completely? Why shouldn't a musician allow himself multiple interpretations of his own work? So thank you, Ryan Lott. Others might be climbing Billboard charts by rehashing essentially children's versions of work put out seven years ago but you're too busy doing a fucking fantastic job of making purposeful, interesting music.
Best Track: 'Weapons VII'
Rating: 4 out of 5