Night’s Bright Colors returns with Lanterna Magica, a shimmering indie-pop dreamscape that balances introspection with buoyant melodies. Jason Smith and Kevin Boggs craft an album that wrestles with existential themes—consciousness, fleeting time, late-stage capitalism—yet keeps things breezy with lush instrumentation and hypnotic vocals.
The album kicks off with “Woke Up”, a track that immediately shifts the band’s usual style into darker, grungier territory. Layered melodic guitars shimmer over thick, heavy riffs, while the slow, steady drumbeat pulses beneath the singer’s echoing, otherworldly voice. There’s a sense of suspense woven through the track, an unease that lingers like a half-remembered dream. The lyrics float between celestial wonder and something more grounding, counting angels and casting nets across the skies.
Then there’s “The Trivial Pursuit of Happiness”, a deceptively cheerful tune that hides a sharp edge beneath its catchy chorus. The hooky fa-la-la’s make it easy to hum along, but beneath the glossy guitars and thumping drums, there’s a quiet lament about life’s randomness. The singer’s high, airy delivery makes the song feel effortless, even as it hints at something deeper.
Later, “Eastern Thought” surges forward with a driving energy, its propulsive guitars and almost aggressive drumming crackling with electricity. It pulls you in with quiet confidence, then explodes into something bigger and brighter. And “The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket” brings back the grungy edge, but this time with a soaring, hopeful lift. The singer’s whispery-yet-edgy voice glides over the churning instrumentals before the bridge pulls back into an ambient hush.
Closing track “Spring Tomorrow” wraps things up with a soft, melodic outro, leaving behind a final moment of quiet reflection. It’s a fitting end to an album that constantly teeters between weighty themes and the joy of simply existing. Lanterna Magica lets you lose yourself in its glow. Listen to it on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan