Review / 200 Words Or Less
Lavinia
There Is Light Between Us

The Mylene Sheath (2011) Jon E.

Lavinia – There Is Light Between Us cover artwork
Lavinia – There Is Light Between Us — The Mylene Sheath, 2011

Lavinia are a post rock super group of sorts. being comprised of members of more than a couple Mylene Sheath bands including Caspian and Eksi Ekso. So there are certain expectations most listeners will be placing on this release. The band doesn't stray too far from the post rock foundation built with their full time bands. Guitars shimmer and build leading to their inevitable breakdown. The drums fill the gaps strengthening the overall sound throughout.

The real kicker here is the vocals many bands of this style seem to forgo the use of vocals so as to avoud taking away from the atmosphere the instruments build. Here the vocals are on full display helping the overall atmosphere and creating and relationship with the guitars while not seeming to take away from them.

Where the band seem to fall short is that with their glut of experience they seem to sound like a new band. The songs sound gorgeous but seem to have kinks in them overall. Although the same was probably said when Mogwai added vocals to their sound as well. Everything here seems overly peaceful. There is an obvious quiet to loud dynamic very much is lost in the builds. Hopefully the band can get some more time together and make the most of their talents. In the meantime this is a worthwhile start.

6.8 / 10Jon E. • September 5, 2011

Lavinia – There Is Light Between Us cover artwork
Lavinia – There Is Light Between Us — The Mylene Sheath, 2011

Related news

Lavinia line-up changes

Posted in Bands on October 31, 2012

Recently-posted album reviews

Generacion Suicida

Hombre Nuevo
Vitriol (2026)

On the tail end of Autogramm’s 2018 tour of Mexico (what little I remember of that week now is a lot of pulque and not a lot of sleep) I visited the one punk record store in CDMX that I found via googling where to buy bootleg punk t-shirts. I’d already visited Venas Rotas Discos earlier on the trip and … Read more

Karen Dió

Fugaz
Hopeless (2026)

Six songs. That's all Karen Dió needs on this EP. Considering the title translates roughly to fleeting, brief, or transient in Portuguese, maybe that's exactly the point. Dió's second EP doesn't hang around long enough to overstay its welcome. It arrives, makes a hell of a lot of noise, throws some gigantic hooks at you, and disappears. But there's considerably … Read more

Real Numbers

Was It Always This Way
Slumberland Records (2026)

I feel like this may be the first 12", 10-song release in my collection from Real Numbers, a dreampop meets jangle-indie rock band from Minneapolis. I'm not going to fact check my statement, because I mean it as a metaphor. Real Numbers play exactly what you'd expect based on my short description so far, but there's always something just a … Read more