Lamplight - “House Rules”

Dear friends and lovers of cinematic folk music, please feast your ears upon the spacious and prolific sounds of “House Rules,” the latest release from Virginia-based Lamplight.

This soothingly stripped-back number gently fades into focus via some distant feedback before revealing an acoustically driven arrangement. Vocals softly roll into the production, so ethereal that they, at first, appear as though another instrument, enchanting the listener with each passing phrase.

As “House Rules” rises into its true form, soft percussion joins the fold, providing a slight sense of urgency and forward momentum. It is not at all difficult to imagine this song as part of the soundtrack to a rural roadtrip, watching the countryside slip past your window with each new mile, cemented in lines like: “Life moves on and so will you.”

Part of the appeal with this tune is the way that it has harnessed a distinct sense of authenticity; it enters the ears as though all of the instruments have been carefully captured using a single microphone. Pressing play on “House Rules” invites you into a rich and analogue world of sound and we are left hoping that the remainder of Lamplight’s new record does exactly the same.

And, of course, our curiosity got the better of us, so we had to check out Lamplight’s previous release, “Call Your Mom,” the first single from the upcoming LP. We are pleased to inform you that the authentic vibe is omnipresent, evidenced here with a delightful marriage between the piano and acoustic guitar.

“Call Your Mom“ bares more of a straightforward approach to craft, complete with a lo-fi beat and vocals that have been double-tracked to perfection. And once you catch a glimpse of the lap steel, you will surely join us in completely getting lost in the sound.

-HD