Since she released her first solo record in 2014,
Samara Lubelski has made a string of under-the-radar gems that mix darkly psychedelic sonic textures with gentle melodies, knotty guitars, and
Lubelski's mystical lyrics and tender whisper of a voice. As a former member of
Tower Recordings and
the Sonora Pine, as well as a collaborator with
Thurston Moore,
Lubelski has been part of a lot of interesting albums, but her solo work is where she really shines. Released in 2018,
Flickers at the Station is another installment of baroque pop laced with intricate guitar figures, vintage synths, and haunting melodies, not far in style or quality from her other solo albums. Made in Germany with her longtime friends and fellow musical travelers
Metabolismus at the well-appointed studio, the record finds
Lubelski in a typically subdued mood, dishing out songs that don't have big hooks but work their way under the skin regardless. It works as a whole as much as on the song level, and the overall feel is impressively rich and pure-sounding. This is peaceful music made by musicians who are totally in tune with each other. The intricate parts each person plays are woven together like a fine silk scarf, with not a single thread out of place and
Lubelski's enchanting vocals providing some color. This sense of completeness is something that all of
Lubelski's albums share; so is the sense that listening to the music deeply could serve as a means to transport oneself out of the ordinary world and into a rich tapestry of soft psychedelic sound. Thanks to the overall strength of the songs, along with the way the songs come together to cast a hazy spell over the listener,
Flickers at the Station is actually one of her best albums from start to finish.