'Lost In Oblivion' by Lazer Beam: A Beautifully Indulgent Album

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Trixie Rasputin

Stream Lost In Oblivion

Lost in Oblivion is the 2nd full length album produced and recorded by Lucust French, better known as Lazer Beam. Released in 2022, this musical sage played all the instruments, tracked all the vocals, and designed a sonic world called Oblivion from the back of his van (where he was living at the time). From the opening track 'Sorry for the Heartache' to the closing song 'The Graveyard' (an expertly delivered Devil Makes Three cover), you will feel like you've been transported to a sorrowful, magical, haunting dream world. Every song totters on the edge of over-indulgence, especially the title track 'Lost In Oblivion'. Sultry washed out vocals and Lucust's signature guitar riffs play atop a gentle synthesizer pattern and electronic snare. The effect is a lush and dreamy soundscape that sets the tone for the rest of the album, which can be at times wistful, melancholy, playful, and even frightening. Approaching the album's midpoint, 'Lower Your Guns' starts on a spooky riff that propels the album towards its darker apex. Tracks like Vultures (a visceral critique of human behavior) and Derelict (which gets an astounding vocal cameo from French artist Patrón) take you through a darker, scarier dream world with vivid imagery and poignant lyrics about addiction, loss, and giving up hope. After such a journey, it is only fitting that the album ends on a stripped down electronic version of 'The Graveyard', a song about a shipwreck that brings to mind the taking of one's final breath. The relief and surrender feel nearly total at this point, and you realize that this artist intended for the arc of the album to be a fantastic emotional trip. Everything is a little larger than life, a little more colorful than reality, and overwhelmingly beautiful even in the most harrowing of moments. It speaks to hope as much as to hopelessness, but ultimately sinks the listener like too many drinks at the bar are apt to do. Lost In Oblivion is a delightfully indulgent piece of art that doesn't apologize for the feelings it evokes, and every listen reveals another sonic layer. 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️