Local Natives - Sunlit Youth

Local Natives’ journey between 2013’s ‘Hummingbird’ and today has been one defined by self-reflection. Having made a significant statement with their breakthrough debut ‘Gorilla Manor’ at the turn of the decade, the growth that we saw in the form of ‘Hummingbird’ was nothing if not logical. Comparisons to contemporaries were commonplace, with parallels to the likes of Fleet Foxes and The National no doubt fuelled by the latter’s Aaron Dessner producing Natives’ second LP. After the extensive touring of the record, the band were set on transitioning in line with the broader scope of perspectives that their experiences have provided. Moving beyond the realm of the emotive Californian indie rock that has served them so well up to now, the context for ‘Sunlit Youth’ is one of rebirth and redefinition.

Opener ‘Villainy’ certainly smacks of new perspective. It’s as closely aligned with straight-up pop as we’ve heard from Local Natives, with a galloping synthesised brass-like rhythm underpinning the track’s joyfulness. It spells out out the band’s considered and patient process of transition too, with typical poetic tact – “It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust / Step out in to the sun” goes the spoken word middle-eight prophecy, before a call and response affirms the album’s intentions.

Elsewhere, ‘Jellyfish’ sees the band expressing the greatest freedom, with a complex web of rhythms intertwining beneath snaking synth lines, sounding something close to Glass Animals with a muzzle, while ‘Dark Days’ uses the expanded sonic palette to create a glistening sunset ambience beneath its twinkling guitar lines. Across these twelve tracks, Local Natives are always recognisable, with the familiarity of gorgeous three-part harmonies and the sharp rhythms of Matt Frazier’s ever-captivating drumming, but they utilise new approaches and electronic sounds to embellish what comes naturally and provide greater sonic depth.