KRVX

Basically, AU consists of two crazy dudes hitting objects as intensely as they can. They also match up with guest appearances from Colin Stetson among a couple others. Most of the time, the objects being hit happen to be instruments including keyboards, a steel guitar, audio samples, drums, and wind instruments. The album’s intensity really shows in how damn smart each moment is. Certain breaks pop out as technically stunning, while other songs are beautiful ambient compositions. I was happy with getting to see AU two different times at SXSW, and their live performance really sold me on Both Lights. I could tell that the cheesy lyrics are a part of the act and shouldn’t be judged too quickly. As their first true release since 2007, their sound has changed slightly to a more contained song format, but at no cost of creativity or attention to detail. I’ll be listening to this album for quite a while.