936 (album)

936 is a 2011 neo-psychedelic album by Peaking Lights, a Spring Green, Wisconsin-based husband-and-wife duo of Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis. Peaking Lights stepped outside of the lo-fi style of their previous recordings, recording in a studio for the first time, and infused their psychedelic pop style with sounds from dub and hypnagogic chillwave.

936
Studio album by
Peaking Lights
ReleasedFebruary 8, 2011
RecordedJune 6–8, 2010 at Flat Black Studios in Iowa City, Iowa
GenreNeo-psychedelia, dub
Length48:53 (CD)
LabelNot Not Fun (US), Weird World (UK)
ProducerAaron Coyes, Indra Dunis
Peaking Lights chronology
Imaginary Falcons
(2009)		 936
(2011)		 Lucifer
(2012)

936 became independent label Not Not Fun's best-selling release, and was consequently picked up for UK release by Weird World. The album garnered critical acclaim, and was identified as one of the best underground releases of 2011.

Recording and musical content

Peaking Lights' previous album, Imaginary Falcons, was noisy, psychedelic jamming recorded by Coyes and Dunis at home. The direction of 936's production was influenced by the band's performance at the KRAAK Festival in 2010. The quality of sound equipment at the festival allowed the band to hear their own music in a different way at a time than their earlier lo-fi recordings. Three songs from 936 had been written by that time. According to Dunis, "When we had the opportunity to listen to it more spread out, and with a higher fidelity, we thought this is actually how we’d like our record to sound."[1]

936 was recorded over the course of three days at Flat Back Studios; it was the band's first recording session in a studio. Coyes said that access to the higher fidelity equipment was more significant than any change in songwriting, while Dunis said that she wrote more conventionally melodic vocal lines than she had done before.[2] Although Dunis played the album's percussion, Coyes wrote the rhythms, and said "I tried to write rhythms that would clash with each other but still work, so on this record I tried to go deeper into that idea."[3]

936 is a psychedelic album that draws heavily from the style of dub. Other genres that critics have cited as sonic reference points include improvisational krautrock, 1960s soul, techno, and post-punk.[4][5][6] A critic from Playground said "each and every one of the tracks has been constructed from cavernous basslines and rhythm boxes, over which more poppy aspects, like the dispassionate yet emotive voice of singer Indra Dunis, Morricone-like guitars ... and cosmic synths are laid."[7] The sound of 936 has been compared to reggae artists like King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Augustus Pablo; alternative groups like Young Marble Giants and Primal Scream; and contemporaries like Sun Araw, Pocahaunted, Excepter, and Eternal Tapestry.[4][8][9][10] Coyes acknowledged that the band is inspired by old sounds but approaches these influences from an experimental rather than nostalgic attitude.[8] The lyrics contain numerous references to spirituality and nature, inspired by Coyes's and Dunis's upbringings.[8]

Release

The album title was chosen for the numerological significance it holds for Coyes and Dunis.[2][8] Through a combination of critical appraisal and word-of-mouth, the album attracted an unexpected level of attention.[11] With about 3,000 copies sold as of March 2012, 936 became Not Not Fun's best-selling release.[12]

The album's relative success drew attention from larger indie labels looking to rerelease the album. At the time, Coyes and Dunis made a living through a store that sold vintage clothing and records.[12] The album was released on November 21 in the UK and Europe through Weird World, an imprint of Domino. To promote the rerelease, the band embarked on a tour of the UK and Amsterdam, streamed music on the website 936.fm, and commissioned remixes of songs from 936.[13] Peaking Lights announced that they would release their next album on Mexican Summer in the US and Weird World in Europe.[14] In 2013, Peaking Lights announced that they had founded their own label, Two Flowers, and that their first release would be a new pressing of 936.[1]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[15]
Metacritic76/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
The A.V. ClubA[18]
DIY8/10[19]
The Irish Times[20]
Mixmag8/10[6]
Mojo[21]
NME6/10[22]
Pitchfork7.7/10[23]
Q[24]
Uncut[25]

Upon release, 936 was generally well received by both American and UK critics.[16]

A writer from indie blog Gorilla vs. Bear said the album "emerged seemingly out of nowhere to become one of the year's most compelling and replayable jams."[9] Sam Bloch of LA Weekly called the album "a game-changer. At that time, so-called chillwavers were achieving popularity by washing facile pop melodies in baths of haze and echo. The mellow, dubbier stuff of Peaking Lights was a refreshing alternative."[12] Pitchfork named 936 one of the most overlooked albums of the year and said it exemplified the neglected creativity of a new wave of Midwestern musicians.[26] Fact,[27] The Wire,[28] and About.com also included the album in year-end lists.[29]

Track listing

All songs written by Peaking Lights.

CD/Cassette
  1. "Synthy" 2:58
  2. "All the Sun That Shines" – 6:53
  3. "Amazing and Wonderful" – 5:29
  4. "Birds of Paradise (Dub Version)" – 7:57
  5. "Hey Sparrow" – 3:56
  6. "Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)" – 7:47
  7. "Marshmellow Yellow" – 8:27
  8. "Summertime" – 5:26
Vinyl
A1 "All the Sun That Shines" – 6:53
A2 "Amazing and Wonderful" – 5:29
A3 "Birds of Paradise (Dub Version)" – 7:57
B1 "Hey Sparrow" – 3:56
B2 "Tiger Eyes (Laid Back)" – 7:47
B3 "Marshmellow Yellow" – 8:27
Weird World vinyl issue: Bonus CD
  1. "Amazing and Wonderful" (Cadenza Remix)
  2. "Hey Sparrow" (d'Eon Remix)
  3. "Birds of Paradise" (Maria Minerva's Ooh and Ah Edit)
  4. "Amazing and Wonderful" (Sunless '9 Remix)
  5. "All the Sun That Shines" (Doldrums Remix)
  6. "Amazing and Wonderful" (Damu Remix)

Personnel
  • Aaron Coyes – guitar, bass, drum programming, tape, synth, effects, production
  • Indra Dunis – vocals, keyboards, synth, drums, drum Programming, effects, production
  • Luke Tweedy – engineer, recording

References
  1. "Dummy Mix 152 // Peaking Lights", Dummy, February 6, 2013, archived from the original on April 2, 2013, retrieved March 30, 2013
  2. Cornwell, Samantha (May 16, 2011), "Artist Profile: Peaking Lights", Altered Zones, archived from the original on May 18, 2011, retrieved March 30, 2013
  3. Soyal, Franc (June 28, 2012), "Peaking Lights: "To Us the Important Thing Is to Make Music For the Imagination"", Playground, archived from the original on October 28, 2012, retrieved March 30, 2013
  4. Lester, Paul (September 20, 2011), "New band of the day – Peaking Lights (No 1,109)", The Guardian, retrieved March 30, 2013
  5. Gibb, Rory (January 6, 2012), "Interview: Peaking Lights", The Stool Pigeon, archived from the original on November 16, 2012, retrieved March 30, 2013
  6. Wheeler, Seb (January 16, 2012), "Peaking Lights: 936", Mixmag, archived from the original on March 29, 2013, retrieved March 30, 2013
  7. Conte, Iván (March 9, 2011), "Listen: Peaking Light – 936", Playground, archived from the original on November 19, 2012, retrieved March 30, 2013
  8. Nesbitt, Huw (January 10, 2012), "Own Brand Mysticism: An Interview With Peaking Lights", The Quietus, retrieved March 30, 2013
  9. "Zoned In: Peaking Lights: 936", Altered Zones, March 23, 2011, archived from the original on February 12, 2014, retrieved March 30, 2013
  10. Thompson, Paul (July 22, 2011), "Staff Lists: The Top 100 Tracks of 2011: Peaking Lights: "All the Sun That Shines" [Not Not Fun]", Pitchfork, retrieved March 30, 2013
  11. Milton, Jamie (June 11, 2012), "Peaking Lights: 'It's Been A Pretty Wild Year'", DIY, retrieved March 30, 2013
  12. Block, Sam (March 5, 2012), "Peaking Lights Got Pregnant. That's When Their Musical Dreams Came True", LA Weekly, retrieved March 30, 2013
  13. "Peaking Lights' 936.fm is go", Fact, November 21, 2011, retrieved March 30, 2013
  14. "Peaking Lights's 936 Gets European Release, Sign To Mexican Summer In US", The Wire, September 13, 2011, retrieved March 30, 2013
  15. 936 by Peaking Lights reviews, AnyDecentMusic?, retrieved December 28, 2019
  16. Reviews for 936 by Peaking Lights, Metacritic, retrieved March 30, 2013
  17. Thomas, Fred, 936 – Peaking Lights, AllMusic, retrieved May 3, 2019
  18. Shanahan, Joel (February 25, 2011), "Peaking Lights: 936", The A.V. Club, archived from the original on February 28, 2011, retrieved May 3, 2019
  19. Wright, Danny (November 21, 2011), "Peaking Lights – 936", DIY, archived from the original on November 25, 2011, retrieved May 3, 2019
  20. Clayon-Lea, Tony (November 25, 2011), "Peaking Lights", The Irish Times, retrieved May 3, 2019
  21. "Peaking Lights: 936", Mojo, no. 220, p. 103, March 2012
  22. Mackay, Emily (November 18, 2011), "Album Review: Peaking Lights – '936'", NME, archived from the original on November 23, 2011, retrieved May 3, 2019
  23. Kelly, Zach (March 23, 2011), "Peaking Lights: 936", Pitchfork, retrieved May 3, 2019
  24. "Peaking Lights: 936", Q, no. 306, p. 124, January 2012
  25. "Peaking Lights: 936", Uncut, no. 169, p. 93, June 2011
  26. Hogan, Marc (July 22, 2011), "Staff Lists: Overlooked Records 2011: Peaking Lights: 936 [Not Not Fun]", Pitchfork, retrieved March 30, 2013
  27. "Staff Lists: Overlooked Records 2011: Peaking Lights: 936 [Not Not Fun]", Fact, November 30, 2011, retrieved March 30, 2013
  28. "2011 Rewind: Releases of the Year 1–10". The Wire. No. 335. London. January 2012. p. 33 – via Exact Editions. (subscription required)
  29. Carew, Anthony, "Top 50 Albums of 2011", About.com Guide, retrieved March 30, 2013
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