WOODS OF LIGHT
Woods of Light's Newcastle Park feels like an album that perfectly captures the essence of its title—airy, atmospheric, and filled with subtle reflections on nature. There's an elusive quality to it, where the music almost becomes a backdrop for introspection, a canvas stretched wide with shimmering soundscapes.
The title track, “Newcastle Park,” drenched in reverb and framed by a stoic vocal delivery, sets the mood with its hazy, dreamlike quality. It’s a song that invites reflection, its layers creating a sense of space, yet never demanding attention, instead allowing it to drift over the listener like a lingering thought.
“Virtue Hill” continues the theme, with reverb-drenched tails that evoke a lingering sense of loss, while “Blue-Eyed Stranger” stands out for its intimate vulnerability, where beauty and emotion merge seamlessly. “Left Behind” finds that delicate balance between melancholy and grace, its catchiness rooted in a kind of quiet solace, making it one of the more immediate moments on the album.
“Sunny Summer Avenue” tips its hat to '90s alternative influences, with a catchy groove that feels like a warm breeze of nostalgia. The guitar work throughout the album is consistently impressive, particularly on tracks like the crisp and fast-paced “Words We Never Say” and the strong yet understated “Hometown.”
The lush, ambient sound of “Sleepy Side of Town” lives up to its name, offering a serene, calming song, while “Shadow of Autumn” wraps up the album with melodies that feel ripe for a single. The final track, “Final Summer,” leaves a lasting impression, carrying with it the echoes of an infinite summer that’s slipped through our fingers.
Newcastle Park feels like a love letter to youth—an album steeped in the soft glow of summers past, where fleeting moments of magic were once endless. It’s a reflection on what was left behind, offering a bittersweet look back at a time we can never fully return to.