Another day, another gem of a release from Fullerton, California's Burger Records - Shine Your Light from Gap Dream. Who is/are Gap Dream? The answer is that Gap Dream is Gabriel Fulvimar, who in late 2012 moved from Ohio to live at Burger Records. About that time he started writing the songs that would become Shine Your Light. Under the circumstances, it is unsurprising that Burger Records was Gabe's choice to release the album. The question is, did the Garage rock powerhouse that is Burger make a good decision in releasing Gabe's sophomore release? I think the answer is "yes". While Burger isn't known for synth pop - and Shine Your Light is synth/bedroom pop - the label is unafraid of stepping outside the borders of garage rock when they detect talent. Moreover, to my ears there is a garage rock sensibility to this release that proclaims "I belong at Burger". And a good thing, too, because who wants to be evicted during the holidays.
The album presents multiple facets of Gabe's sound. Some tracks are dark (e.g. "Snow Your Mind") while others have a sunny pop feel (e.g. "Fantastic Sam"). The production allows for both grit and gloss, and the arrangements allow plenty of space for the instrumentation to carry the mood in between the vocals. If you are going to search for influences, you probably will bring up Eno, Alan Parsons, Giorgio Morode and California surf pop. The overall result is an album that I rely on more for atmosphere than specific songs or lyrical message. But that isn't a knock on the album. Music serves many different purposes in life and this one is good for filling a room and setting a mood. Check out some tracks below.
"Chill Spot" --
Bandcamp
Burger Records
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