Murray A. Lightburn

Given the well-documented, tumultuous history of ever-shifting cinematic Montreal rock troupe the Dears, it's a wonder that a full-fledged solo project from frontman Murray Lightburn has taken this long to happen. Finally left to his own devices with new disc Mass:Light, Lightburn maintains the Dears' hallmark compositional adventurousness and emotional urgency, but replaces the rock sound with the warm, melodic synths, dramatic electronic inflections and varied drum machine rhythms of plaintive retro-'80s futurism and synthesized soul-searching. Opener "Motherfuckers" launches the record from more familiar territory into the dark, galloping warrior cry of the club-y "A Thousand Light Years," while the ominous organ melody and sombre backbeat of "From Dreams" play like a 40-year-old film score to a doomed journey into the hopeless solitude of outer space. Lightburn is entirely at home within the album's largely synth-based soundscape, one nicely filled-out by the subtle horn and string touches of the disc's lone guest musicians. While many of his established songwriting tropes are present and welcome, the record's early dance floor-focused additions and unconventional soundtrack-style turns help set Mass:Light apart in fine fashion as a new creative side of the Dears' principal torchbearer.