With over two dozen releases to their name since the late '90s, Connecticut-based group
Landing have been one of the most reliable sources of dreamy lo-fi space rock.
Third Sight is roughly their ninth proper full-length (not including split releases with bands like
Windy & Carl and
Yume Bitsu), and its four songs span a wide range without really going out of the group's comfort zone or seeming over-ambitious. The band generally plays calm, unhurried psychedelic rock with gently drifting drums, hushed vocals, and softly swirling guitars. After establishing a blissful rhythm and letting it run for a while, the group switches into weightless ambient mode, floating freely beyond the clouds. Even when they glide to the outer limits, every motion and subtle change seems considered and deliberate. At times, they tip into a bit of grainy distortion, but overall the album doesn't get as heavy or shoegazey as some of their prior releases. They carefully utilize electronic blips and pulses, and occasional waves of delay, but they don't go too overboard with electronic effects. If there's anything close to an alarming moment, it occurs halfway during "Morning Sun." After eight minutes of slowly dripping electronic beats, guitar wisps, and synthesizer flares, vocalist Adrienne Snow enters along with a relaxed bassline. The change seems to trigger a bright ray of sunshine, but the music remains spacious. The piece winds down with decaying guitar and very faint drumbeats. The entire album is supremely calming and comforting, and it possesses the same timeless quality as the rest of
Landing's work. ~ Paul Simpson