I have a stinking cold right now. Not that I expect you to give a damn, dear reader, but in my woolly-headed state, Lukestar’s music is just the ticket. Lake Toba’s eleven slices of cheery post-rock pop is a refreshing palate-cleanser – a clean breeze through the windows of my mind, if you will.
Lukestar hail from Oslo in Norway, which may go some way toward explaining the glacial coolness of their sound. And when I say “cool”, I refer not to hipness (though there is a certain aloof sense of personal style in evidence) but temperature – the invigorating atmospheric bite of long walks in the countryside as we approach winter, brisk fresh air filling your lungs as you’re reminded that there’s green and natural life beyond the concrete and brickwork of the city.
That’s probably my urban malaise projecting into the frame, of course, but even so there’s something distinctly al fresco about Lukestar’s sound. Comparisons to Sigur Ròs are inevitable thanks to the faux-childish falsetto vocals that soar their way through Lake Toba, but in place of the Icelandic gang’s sprawling soundscapes Lukestar deploy jangly indie-pop shapes, short sharp songs with bright little melodies and a punkish pace.
Their sense of glee is really infectious, despite seeming initially somewhat at odds with the post-hardcore stylings; it’s a piquant contrast, and an interesting thought experiment would be to replace Lukestar’s vocals with something more akin to the histrionic wailings of the haircut bands. To do so would be to spoil Lake Toba completely, but it would illustrate a valid point – that there’s a lot of great music out there that is completely derailed by the image-engineering of its frontpersons.
Because Lukestar have strong drink for the thirsty – glacial melodic hooks; jangling chord sequences that appear brittle at a first listen, but which hide a robust strength and pop sensibility; seemingly carefree vocals that hint at emotional depth without falling into overblown angst. But it’s the homeliness of Lake Toba – that almost-familiar sense of something you know well but haven’t yet looked at from this particular angle – that makes it a joy to listen to. The lack of ego in evidence is an added bonus.
From the understated bliss of album opener “White Shade” to the minimalist prog of “Clockworks of Tomorrow” (like a Circa Survive tune pared down to its essentials, transparent and clear), Lake Toba never misses a shot. If you love the architecture of post-hardcore pop but long to see it divorced from the hollow posturing with which it has become inextricably tangled, Lukestar could be the band to rekindle your faith. Sincerely recommended.
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Tags: Lake Toba, Lukestar, pop, post-hardcore, post-rock
