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Beau Navire

Lumens

Written by: PP on 26/11/2012 01:54:05

The original screamo revivalist movement continues with a solid release by Oakland, California-based Beau Navire, who provide an overseas look into the same movement that's been surging in Europe in the form of Kaospilot, Sed Non Satiata, Traktor, Lentic Waters and many others for a while now. "Lumens" is only their sophomore full-length, but yet they've already nailed the 90s screamo style perfectly through a messy, technical form of hardcore meets emo violence and chaotic soundscapes.

It's one of those releases that feels like its drowning in its unrelenting urgency and raw passion - in a good way. It's almost like an antidote to their ambient and more atmospheric counterparts in Pianos Become The Teeth and Defeater, one where intensity and confined/compressed soundscapes win over intricate buildups and beautiful progressive screamo setups. That's not to say that Beau Navire don't incorporate a ton of melody to their mixture as well. They do just that, as you'll hear on "Prisms" and especially "Communique", but they intentionally keep their sound tight and small to enable those explosive live shows where people dangle from the rafters while the vocalist screams maniacally during seizure-like movements on stage.

"Lumens" is one of those records which has almost too much urgency for its own good. It feels like the band are falling apart any moment on every song, because of how unpredictably they express their interpretation chaotic screamo. Almost. They've pushed that edge to its fullest, which in their case means their energy is undeniable and their passion uncompromising. If you're not into heavy amounts of feedback and dissonance intersecting fragile melodies on top of a chaotic screamer, Beau Navire is not for you. But if you're interested in a convincing retrospective look at how screamo started in the 90s, "Lumens" is an excellent choice for that.

Download: Communique, Dead End Start Over, Paper Lanterns
For the fans of: Kaospilot, Sed Non Satiata, Xerxes, Saetia, Hot Cross, We Were Skeletons
Listens: Facebook

Release date 15.06.2012
Moment Of Collapse Records