Farlanders ft Laura Ward & Tessa Gilles – The Lighthouse Lies Dark (2021)
When the world seems dark without any sign of hope, there are those who provide the light that we need. Farlanders have teamed up with Laura Ward and Tessa Gilles to pay tribute to those who light the dark with their single ‘The Lighthouse Lies Dark’. With the darkness of the last year, this track hits harder as it brings a triumphant celebration to listeners’ ears.
As the first release from Farlanders in over two years, it not only brings hope to listeners but also represents the journey and challenges the band has faced. With Ward providing vocals, Gilles haunts the soundscape with her violin, Nick White (keyboards), Mark Wilson (Bass) and Andy Fraser (acoustic guitar, drums) provide Farlanders’ folk sound. If you are looking for a song that shines the light of hope in the darkest of places, this is the one you need to listen to.
The waves of the ocean open ‘The Lighthouse Lies Dark’ with the mournful tolling of a bell. This leads to the mournful tones of the violin that soars over the ocean like a lonely albatross. After a rather sombre opening, the melody takes on a gentle flow of waves lapping against the shore in the early morning. The shuffling notes bring a light burst of energy before everything drops to a strangely soft feeling of isolation. It is a very emotive movement that takes you from isolation to the light that the lighthouse offers. As the single progresses, the folk flow of the melody picks up and dances around your brain with a glimmer of hope and optimism.
Ward’s vocals are as beautiful and mournful as the violin as she calls to the lonely lighthouse. The lyrics paint a rather lonely and desolate picture of isolation that bolsters the feeling of the melody. Through the verses, her voice calls through the soundscape like a siren beckoning you further out into the ocean. The imagery of the lyrics is stunning as it paints the picture of this solitary lighthouse standing as a beacon for all those who need it. As the music picks up, Ward’s vocals rise in a fairy dance making you want to sway and move to the rhythm.
Farlanders with Laura Ward and Tessa Gilles pay tribute to those who shine the light of hope in the darkest of times through the imagery rich ‘The Lighthouse Lies Dark’. The rising moving of the melody fills you with mournful tones before sweeping up into a glimmer of hope. Ward’s vocals move to match with a stunning performance that sends shivers racing down your skin.
Find out more about Farlanders on their website, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.
