Photo: Andrew Jarson and Peter Shikany
From the scorching desert of Arizona, synthpop duo Body of Light return with the announcement of a brand new album Bitter Reflection, and the record’s captivating and melodic first single, “Never Ever.”
With fervor and wonder, the Jarson brothers have plunged headlong into the abyss of their personal arcana, revealing cherished memories and parts of themselves concealed from the world’s gaze: childhood tapes, home movies, and forsaken demos. Forever peering within themselves and the question: “How can we make this grow?”
From the bank of these hazy memories comes an audio collage spanning decades, masterfully crafted by the Jarson brothers. And amid this symphony of wistful longings, the single “Never Ever” hits every sweet spot, augmented by a somber and romantic sax solo that invokes visions of a sun-kissed beach at dusk. We detect hints of Thomas Dolby, a touch of Art of Noise, and the Depeche Mode-inspired melancholy of “Not Tonight,” interwoven with echoes of the greatest 80s pop ballads from the film soundtracks of the era. But above all, we sense the poignant yearning of regrets, fleeting thoughts, and wistful nostalgia. Here, the Jarson brothers serve a divine platter of sonic comfort food, a feast that delivers both epiphanies and the wisdom of growth, with echoes of remembrance lingering on the palate.
“This is music pulled between twin flames of truth and desire, romanticization and reality, catharsis and control, born of a bond sealed by years, dreams, and blood,” says the band.
A new age demands new waves, and Body Of Light is leading the charge of a resurgent generation that fuses modern methods with the sounds of the future’s past. Singer Alex Jarson sees their muse clearly, at the axis of anguished transition, temporal collapse, and, just possibly, the brink of hope:
“Time is dysphoric. The dream breaks down. Everyone’s beginning to panic, but in the end something will come from it.”
Listen below:
Working with Telefon Tel Aviv’s Josh Eustis in Los Angeles, Body Of Light incorporated an expanded array of live instrumentation – piano, bass, saxophone, acoustic guitar – in addition to vintage Akai samplers, Moogs, and archaic hardware to their fourth album, Bitter Reflection, giving it a lush, eclectic, and unpredictable array of warm melody and sounds.
Bitter Reflection will be released on June 30, 2023, via Dais Records. Pre-orders are available here, and more music and news from Body Of Light will arrive soon.
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