Gang of Youths are bona fide stars down under and this record should finally allow them to leave a footprint in the Northern Hemisphere. Under the backdrop of raw emotion, Go Farther in Lightness is sprinkled with the Aussie band’s distinctive soaring guitars, epic strings, glistening synths and lingering piano riffs, with each of the ambitious compositions slowly fragmenting out into epic crescendos. The final result is a 74-minute-long LP that takes you on a thrilling experience.

However, the instrumentation’s importance has taken a relative backseat for this record, with the subject matter focused on frontman Dave Le’aupepe trying to make sense of the death of his ex-wife who was battling terminal cancer. Finished months before she died, this is his attempt to block out the pain and celebrate her life. A healing record, if you will.

Recorded over six weeks at Sydney studios in Darlinghurst with co-producer Adrian Breakspear, it takes their self-reflective style to another level, with the addition of string sections that Le'aupepe scored from scratch over the course of a three-day period. They were then mixed in New York by Peter Katis into the cathartic sonic explorations they have finally become.

Opener ‘Fear and Trembling’ starts off like a generic piano ballad before it roars into an anthemic beast as Le’aupepe reveals his fears:

“And I waited on forever/But forever never came.
Just a latent sense of loyalty/To the things I love in vain.
And now I’m terrified of loving/‘Coz I’m terrified of pain
And of missing out on human things/By cowering away.”

First single ‘What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out?’ then brings the record back to life with its duelling guitars and militaristic rhythms before ‘Atlas Drowned’ continues the fast pace with a propulsive rhythm section. ‘Keep Me in The Open’ and ‘Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane’ are then far calmer and reflective numbers, before ‘Achilles Come Down’s flamboyant instrumentation and ‘The Heart Is a Muscle’s horn sections add some variety to proceedings.

The entrance of ‘Let Me Down Easy’ represents the album’s epicentre with its almost groovy ambiance which still has an anthemic quality to it. Meanwhile, ‘The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows’ is a marvellous cinematic piece which creates a prominent soundscape.

Album closer ‘Say Yes to Life’ then features percussion as Le’aupepe takes the role of the preacher: “Say yes to grace / Say no to spite. Say yes to this / Say yes to you / Say yes to me / Say yes to love! / Say yes to love!” It caps off what is an astonishing journey of an album that will promote Gang of Youths into the upper echelons of cathartic indie-rock.

Paul Hill

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