Amiina: The Lighthouse Project

‘The Lighthouse Project’ carries the listener through memories lost to us over time with its incredibly warm and alluring soundscapes. It tugs on the heartstrings the same way that an old cherished photo or a distant fond memory might—it’s forlorn, it’s beautiful and it resonates on a sentimental level.
‘The Lighthouse Project’ is appropriately named, for it was created with the idea of recapturing the sound of live performances during a 2009 summer tour that had the band performing in unusual locations, such as in the Dalatangaviti lighthouse. The instrumentals are handled astutely, delicately dancing through songs, lightly floating along impassioned melodies that gleam in an almost lullabied demeanour, creating an atmosphere of relaxation and comfort, like nestling up beside a warm, cosy fireplace hearth in mid-January. It makes you want to close your eyes, imagine you are standing on top of one of these seaside beacons and gaze out past the shore into vast blue waters, contemplating the beauty of the world.
Whether it’s the gentle wail of a bow, a singing saw, the eerie whine of a theramin, the casual jaunt from an accordion or the soothing angelic hums, ‘The Lighthouse Project’ is an auditory example of connecting a physical presence to the music itself.