Firelight

Firelight is the sophomore recording by the Coral Sea, a West Coast five-piece with its roots in central California but who’ve earned many more fans from touring across the U.S. and U.K. It is a fine follow-up to their first release, the highly acclaimed Volcano and Heart, which it both shares some qualities with but is also a departure from.


Starting with the opening track, “From Arizona To Barcelona,” both of these are evident. From the very first strains of faint guitar noise, it’s clear that the lovely ambient touches and their skillful use are still a big part of the Coral Sea sound. But immediately different to me is that the vocals seem placed more forward in space. The listener becomes engaged by the intimacy created, which lasts the entire album. Frontman Rey Villalobos speak-sings, “Firelight save me from your wanting / Firelight take me to your safety,” from whence the album title comes.

Another difference is that, where the last record had its reappearing string quartet, here instead piano is featured. On the first track, it is prominent and used more straightforwardly, especially when it introduces the bridge—minimal at first, then building with Rey’s stabbing words that seem like both a yearning and lament. The drums stop halfway through, but that doesn’t stop the song from quietly amassing power.