When measuring the evolution of Drew Haddon’s work as Warning Light, it’s possible you’ll only see subtle flashes and tiny increments. He’s the most patient of sculptors, a meticulous, holistic composer who prefers to tie his individual compositions together into broader themes and wider movements. Tonally, he likes to color his records with specific moods and textures, whether it’s the stark monochromatic grays of his early atmospheric LPs or the pastel hues of his more recent, rhythm-oriented albums.
With “Lumen Tracker,” Haddon continues to delve deeper into his exploration of pulsing synths and strong motorik beats. This might be the most aggressively poppy track he’s written as Warning Light in the sense that there is a clear melodic structure that progresses and resolves in ways that feel comfortably familiar. More importantly, however, there’s an energy and urgency here that eschews the cinematic dalliances prevalent in most of his catalog in favor of something more visceral and immediate. You’ll probably notice a bit of that ’80s neon glow floating in there, too, but this is no backwards-looking descent into nostalgia.
The video works mostly in a single palette — soft aquatic blues with navy shapes, patterns, and outlines. The overall effect is calming and meditative, even as the beat insists in propelling you forward faster and faster. Even at his most minimalist, Haddon has always concerned himself with the business of taking his listeners on a trip, and “Lumen Tracker,” even in the abbreviated “hwy edit” form we find here, succeeds in doing just that.
“Lumen Tracker” is the first single from Warning Light’s upcoming LP, Inland Empires Disregard the Sea, due out Sept. 30 via Stickfigure Recordings.
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Bandcamp: warninglight.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @warninglight
SoundCloud: @warning-light