Peaking Lights – 10 All Time Favs

28.04.2020
In these days the new album «E S C A P E» of the Peaking Lights is released on Dekmantel. We had the opportunity to ask Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis about 10 records that they have shaped, improved and formed.

»E S C A P E« is the name of the new and, depending on how you count it, eighth album of the Peaking Lights and a little bit the title reads exactly the way the music of the now Amsterdam-based duo has always sounded: With a lot of space between the individual elements and always on the run. Peaking Lights in, reality out. Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis met and loved each other in California, moved to Wisconsin and, now as a married couple, founded Peaking Lights in 2008. After an extremely productive initial phase, they were able to celebrate their breakthrough only three years later with the LP »936« Their freaky, noisy one seemed to settle right between all the wide-sitting chairs in times of Chillwave, Hypnagogic Pop and Seapunk. A few more albums followed, including the acclaimed »Lucifer« including a full-length dub version and the programmatically titled double album »The Fifth State of Consciousness«, as well as a move back to the Sunshine State and finally to Amsterdam, as the two found a new label home with Dekmantel With »Sea Of Sand« Dunis and Coyes already hinted that they had found their way back to the dancefloor after the big long-form freakout: Although the total playing time of the six tracks was over 30 minutes, the washed-out sound was exchanged for concentrated rhythm work. Just the right foretaste of »E S C A P E«, which dares to give up its lysergic effects even more towards pop, wave and Italo disco. Like all previous releases of Peaking Lights, the 13 tracks open up a lot of space and above all want to allow their audience to escape. Into the psychedelic retro depths of the Dub universe or forward towards the dance floor? Both of course. Because, as the duo’s 10 All Time Favs also prove, they attach great importance to a balanced mixture between dissolution of boundaries and confrontation, reflection and the will to set off. Dub and Dance, combined in the best possible way.


You can find the Vinyl records of Peaking Lights in the [webshop of HHV Records](https://www.hhv.de/shop/de/peaking-lights-vinyl-cd-tape/i:A63063D2N4S6U9.)


Gareth Williams & Mary Currie
Flaming Tunes
Blackest Ever Black • 1985 • from 22.99€
Peaking Lights: New Order has been a huge influence- their pop sensibility is something to strive for. Putting on this record Is always uplifting, even though there’s this complete sense of of nihilism. These jams never get old.

The Slits
Cut
Island • 1979 • from 28.99€
Peaking Lights: New Order has been a huge influence- their pop sensibility is something to strive for. Putting on this record Is always uplifting, even though there’s this complete sense of of nihilism. These jams never get old.

Grace Jones
Warm Leatherette
Island Records • 1981 • from 8.99€
Peaking Lights: Such a classic record, Grace Jones, with Sly and Robbie! Her vocal delivery and presence transcends – there’s no one like her. We saw her perform many of the songs from this record last summer and the show stands out as one of the best we’ve seen. Since the record is all covers, it touches on a lot of other artists we grew up with as well. And this was one that truly mixes reggae with pop and rock. We put this one in because of the crossover aspect … In all honesty we probably needed to do a top 20.


You can find the Vinyl records of Peaking Lights in the [webshop of HHV Records](https://www.hhv.de/shop/de/peaking-lights-vinyl-cd-tape/i:A63063D2N4S6U9.)