How The Light Gets In

This is a claustrophobic, shoegazy bedroom electronica album with a weird little pop record struggling to get out (like an alien in John Hurt’s chest). The work of sister and brother, Laura and Chris Coffey, How The Light Gets In is skillfully produced, both by the duo at their home studio, and by Steve Shannon in Experimental Studios. Sometimes, however, it feels like they all got a bit carried away adding textures, static, stray samples, computer beats, and squelching noises, leaving some stretches feeling a bit aimlessly overcooked (with some songs marinated too long in compression).
At its worst this means one or two bits sound like the kind of lazy throwaway electronic documentary music RTÉ uses to accompany footage of television presenters driving or bleak grey cityscapes (‘Lastwood’). At its best, however, (‘Elegy’ ‘Caught In The Wire’, ‘Dublin In The Deadlight’ and ‘Stagger Gently Home’) the poppier sensibilities out themselves. At these moments Chris’s fragile croon and Laura’s clear, airy and effortless lilt have room to manoeuvre their aching melodies clear of the synth pads, arhythmical beeps, stray trumpets and arpeggiated guitar lines. It makes for a genuinely beautiful, tense and moody listening experience, and I like it very much.

Key Track: ‘Caught in the Wire’