Although the duo are now shacked up in Nashville, they hail initially from Wisconsin which, to the ignorant Brit at least sends surging thoughts recurring to Justin Vernon. Here however not only is this a natural thought process but it's one that appears logical from the very first subtle, outrightly wistful twang of reverb-sodden guitar on opener From the Lake to the Land. However Flights aren't to be found disguising the raw sentimentality that evidently broods within behind a mask of autotune nor are they, one imagines, plotting on collaborating with neo-soulsters The Roots any time soon; rather Anywhere But Where I Am recalls the painstakingly heartbreaking For Emma, For Ever Ago or indeed Vernon's Volcano Choir offshoot more often than not. Taller transposes the desolate chord progression of Gorillaz' Hong Kong onto the flushing melancholy of Midlake, whilst the title-track floats atop a haunting neo-classical piano refrain that recalls Tellier's La Ritournelle were it tinkered out by ghostly fingers on a spectral vessel sailing toward Hades. An album bristling with wondrous disquiet, were Grizzly Bear to have penned it we'd be worshipping their finest work to date. However we ought to be dusting down the prayer mats irregardless as we've two new bearers of delightfully downbeat news to venerate so.
Flights' Bandcamp.
