Cold Cave’s sophomore album Cherish the Light Years marks a completely new sound for the band. Gone are the soft vocals of Caralee McElroy and the matching muted electro-backing. In its place is a much bolder sound that crosses darkwave electro with a dose of ’80s rock along the lines of The Cure and Joy Division. Instead of the distorted vocals that marked the whole of Love Comes Close, the vocals take on a tone of strength and masculinity, particularly in the awesome opening track “The Great Pan is Dead.” The strongest track on the album is “Confetti,” which is a stunning piece of electronic beauty that Brian Eno would be proud of. On the whole, Cherish the Light Years is a solid electro album that is an easier sound to get into than the multiple layers of Cold Cave’s earlier work. There is nothing delicate about Cherish the Light Years; it’s a dark, powerful record that is a sheer intense beauty.
(Matador Records, 304 Hudson St., 7th Fl., New York, NY 10013)