Vectralux - Each Morning and the Morning Thereafter (Self-Released)

Vectralux is an indie pop group from Atlanta, Georgia, and their debut album Each Morning and the Morning Thereafter explores everything from arena rock to northern soul. Like their name, which is a made up word, the band takes bits and pieces of a lot of styles and puts them into a blender to make something original. “Almost Whenever Now,” for example, sounds like a mashup of the riff heavy hard rock of Boston and the angular synths of The Cars. So although their sound cannot be pinned down to one distinct genre, the album itself has a general theme of cautious optimism in the face of change and transformation.

The opening track, “Hey!”, is an infectious burst of indie soul, and in under two minutes it’s nothing short of pure pop perfection. The band is impossible to predict, however, because the next song, “Hidden Days,” is a theatrical new wave anthem reminiscent of U2. The album takes a lot of fascinating twists and turns, and one of the best is the hazy Big Star-esque ballad “Who Can Figure Out Such Devices” that slowly morphs into an explosion of synth rock. As the final track “With Grace (I Walk In)” reaches a thunderous crescendo, Each Morning and the Morning Thereafter leaves the listener with the feeling that they have heard a collection that sounds a little like a million different references and yet also something entirely brand new and fresh.