Fanfarlo — Rooms Filled With Light

With 2009’s Reservoir, London-based Fanfarlo invigorated a well-worn sound with powerful narratives delivered through symphonic ballads. Their cult following evolved after signing with Atlantic, a deal that gave Reservoir a major-label re-release and Fanfarlo a serious recording budget. It’s been put to good use: with their sophomore effort Rooms Filled With Light, they have equalled (or surpassed) their rep-launching debut.

Fanfarlo continue to piece together their sets with control and craftsmanship; each song produces orchestral riffs to sink your teeth into while accentuating every instrument’s contribution. Taking cues from post-rock, the group’s climactic melodies transcend traditional indie pop sets. Unless you’re Zach Condon, it’s difficult to use such a wide array of instruments without seeming sloppy or superfluous, but the repertoire feels natural on Rooms.

“Replicate” founds the record’s aesthetic with hurried violin strokes that mirror lead singer Simon Balthazar’s urgent vocal delivery. The cut plays with mood and tempo, following Balthazar’s ominous solos with choreographed barrages of layered background vocals, synthesizer and clarinet. The construction is complex, as hooks are built up and subdued before flourishing into a chorus. Only after six iterations does the song reach its peak; you’ll be glad to have waited.

“Deconstruction,” the album’s first single, lightens the mood with playful drums and a springy baseline. The track juxtaposes the frenzied “Replicate” with cheery female vocals and mild nods to the same Smiths-esque sound recently recycled by Pains of Being Pure at Heart, but Fanfarlo are by no means confined to the ‘90s alt-rock aesthetic.

Maintaining a debut’s momentum through a sophomore album is no easy task. Rooms Filled With Light doesn’t drastically depart from Reservoir, but it’s a strong enough piece of work to preserve Fanfarlo’s relevance amid the hyper-hype of London’s breakneck-paced scene. The group’s “walk before you run” approach to stylistic progression strikes a balance between reinvention and conservatism, and the result is mesmerizing.