Lake Heartbeat – Trust In Numbers

Floating in on the last fine breeze before winter hits, Stockholm, Sweden's Lake Heartbeat provide enough blissful pop melodies on their debut record, Trust In Numbers, to remind us what summer felt like before our memories of it begin to fade. The Swedish duo, consisting of Janne Kask (formerly of Brainpool) on vocals/programming and Kalla KÃ¥ks on guitar/bass, are notoriously reticent in regards to promotion for the record, but their feelings and moods are laid quite bare within the lyrics and melodies on these searching, earnest pop numbers. There is a wistful, jaunty quality to these tracks that is hypnotic and pleasing, and while any depth you might be searching for within these songs might be as deceiving as the beachfront facade that graces the cover of the album, I'm not sure that digging any deeper is the point to these songs. They are kept intentionally light and airy, at once both elegant and buoyant, thanks to the stylish production of Studio mastermind Dan Lissvik.Lead track 'Mystery' quite clearly displays the band's blueprint early on, with an infectious, driving bass beat layered on top of an understated but still indelible guitar riff, all building to a memorable, swirling chorus. It's diaphanous and radiant, and provides a stark contrast to the heartbreaking lyrics at the core of the song. 'Southbound' has a pensive, dreamy nature, and 'Blue Planet' creates a mood of simmering loneliness out of the mesmerizing bass line and imploring lyrics. There are genuine sentiments conjured by these subtle songs, and that is a testament to the talents of Kask and KÃ¥ks, as well as to the steady hand of Lissvik, who keeps things nuanced and textured while never burdening the songs under needless weight. Lake Heartbeat's lighthearted, spirited numbers often hark back to the golden, elated tones of fellow Swede's The Wannadies more poppy numbers, just with a modern, more produced sound and a subtler guitar influence.The second half of the album takes a welcome turn towards darker, more beat driven songs, with the exception being the overly poppy but impossible to resist 'Golden Chain.' This song is a healthy dose of billowy optimism in a world often besieged by dread and doubt, but features a carefree subject that crashes with the sunrise along with their naive dreams of revolution. For there is indeed an edge to Lake Heartbeat's overt rosiness, it's just usually expressed through Kask's often desolate lyrics, which continually diverges from the smooth, upbeat melodies generated by the group. The moody assertiveness of 'Making Conversation' is a clear standout on the record, with the dynamic beat paired with sanguine guitars and strings, as well as Kask's confident vocals. It's a swaggering, self-assured song that's more than welcome on an album where the band refuses to push the listener around, instead just relying on whispering in their ear to get their point across.The album closes appropriately enough with the subdued acoustic melancholy of 'Let It Die,' which eases the album out the door with the whisper it came in on. There are a lot of pleasurable, highly evocative sounds on Trust In Numbers, ones where the listener can feel both lost and found without really trying too hard. The hard work should be left to the professionals, and these guys obviously can craft a lovely pop song. And as long as you don't try to dig too far beneath the surface of these songs, they can take you anywhere you choose to go.Lake Heartbeat: 'Mystery' Lake Heartbeat: 'Blue Planet' Lake Heartbeat: 'Mystery (Ydre Rymden Dansskola Remix)'