Variety Lights’ Central Flow brings together the experimental sound of Of Montreal, the electric feel of Depeche Mode, and the rock feel of early Incubus. From start to finish, the disc takes the listener on a ride throughout space and time while injecting some of the finest intergalactic drugs out there. The disc starts off with “Starlit,” which drifts the listener off into an experimental world full of electronic hooks and beats. Admittedly, the duo isn’t for everyone, and unless you have that love for experimental and eclectic music, you may not dig Variety Lights. The brevity of “Sea Faraway,” with its darker, eerie, almost alarming sound, feels like it’s on the verge of being drawn towards a series of asteroids set out to destroy a distant planet. Keeping with the same dreary theme, “Invisible Forest” features wistful vocals that clash against harsh, distorted guitars. In contrast to the previous two songs, “Silent Too Long” has more of a pop vibe with the up-tempo drum beats and keys.
Variety Lights switches up the direction of the release once again with “Oh Setting Sun,” which is a very light number that relaxes and soothes rather than going into total chaos. Central Flow gets a bass boost during “Sell Your Soul,” which is slow-moving but still captivating. The disc, however, ends with a downer. Much like its name, “Feeling All Alone” makes the listener feel like the only person out there in such a vast universe and the only way to cure said loneliness is to replay Central Flow.
In A Word: Different
