Norway based cinematic ambient project Lights A.M launches new single ‘Not Ready For This’ ahead of new album ‘Stories Without Words vol. 2’ + reissue first 2 albums on CD for the first time
Out today on all streaming and download platforms is “Not Ready For This“, the first new single from the Norwegian synth wave / experimental electronic act Lights A.M. The track is taken from the band’s forthcoming “Stories Without Words vol. 2” album which will be out on June 23rd via Alfa Matrix on CD (in a limited carton sleeve edition) and as download.
“Stories Without Words vol. 2” is the 2nd installment of the band’s instrumental concept album series that takes off where volume 1 ended.
Also out on June 23rd is the re-release on CD (for the first time) of the 2021 album “Stories Without Words vol. 1” which is the debut album of Lights A.M after a couple of digital EP’s. Also originally released on digital format only in July 2022 was “Clouds”, the 2nd album of the project and now also that 2nd release get s a CD version. Both albums get rereleased on physical format in a limited carton sleeve edition.
The Norwegian cinematic ambient electronic project was formed by Erlend Eilertsen of Essence Of Mind. Time to hail Norway and ask Erlend a few questions.
SL: How come “Clouds” was released in between?
EE: I tend to work on both vocal based tracks and instrumentals in parallel actually, so most of the SWW1 tracks were written in the same time as I did the first two vocal based Lights A.M EP’s. The same has to be said about SWW2 and Clouds, but I wanted to finish the vocal based album before the next instrumental. So in a way, they are connected, but the «Stories Without Words» series stands for itself.
SL: Lights A.M is not an instrumental project from the start on, are these two albums intermedium albums or how do you see it?
EE: When I started Lights A.M I did want to make a lot of instrumentals, but wanted vocals as well, so I thought a lot about how to do it actually. My initial idea was to release vocal based 4-5 tracks EP’s and instrumental concept albums, but after SWW1 I changed my mind and wanted to do regular albums as well. So basically, the SWW series is just a way for me to make instrumental concept albums with total freedom to keep my creativity flowing.
SL: You are a big Vangelis fan I think, but at the same time you have incorporated some by now typical Lights A.M sounds in it. How would you define that specific LAM sound compared to that of a Vangelis?
EE: You are correct about that, but I also have a lot of other musical influences for sure 🙂 . To me, the music is not that similar, but I see the connection, mostly for the passion for melodies and the mood in the music. I think the most obvious difference is my incorporation of elements from both shoegaze, kraut and post rock as well as my somewhat darker soundscapes.
SL: What’s in the air in the nordics that you guys come up with such great electronic music?
EE: Hehe, hard to say, but it could be as simple as our surroundings, nature and the big difference between winter and summer up here. The days are short and dark in the winter, but very long and bright in the summer, and maybe our senses pick it up in some way and channel creativity? Or it could be completely random? 🙂 One thing that keeps getting mentioned is the nordic melancholia, so maybe that is the source?
The new single is also available from Bandcamp for immediate download.
Available formats:
- Lights A.M – Stories Without Words vol. 2 CD
- Lights A.M – Stories Without Words vol. 2 (Download)
- Lights A.M – Clouds CD
- Lights A.M – Stories Without Words vol. 1 CD
- Lights A.M 3CD package + A strange play vol.2 – Tribute to The Cure 2CD
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