Son Lux Does the RPM Challenge

If you listen to NPR’s All Songs Considered, you may already be familiar with the RPM Challenge, and artist Son Lux‘s endeavor in particular. If not, the idea is this: record an entirely new album (either ten songs or 35 minutes long) in only a month. All Songs Considered contacted Son Lux and issued the challenge with a request for him to chronicle the journey through vlogs and posts on NPR’s music blog.

Rather than be content with just cranking out a standard album to get through the challenge, Son Lux not only shelved previous work for his sophomore album and started fresh, but also invited a variety of friends to help out and join in on the fun. The result is a record with ridiculously complex and diverse layers of sound. With appearances from folks like DM Stith, Shara Worden from My Brightest Diamond, and yMusic, it’s no wonder We Are Rising touches on a spectrum of sounds, and boasts a range of instruments from piccolo to synths, guitar to violin.

Rising by Son Lux by PMA

“Rising” starts off sparse with echoing vocals, but soon throws in a dizzying array of instruments, vocal styles and tempos that reminded me simultaneously of a Michigan-era Sufjan Stevens track and the picturesque nature scene of a Disney movie. All of that then abruptly transitions into a dark, looping synth push near the end. It’s a boggling amalgam that is sure to intrigue you.

We Are Rising comes out on April 26th, 2011. Until then, enjoy “Rising” and download it for free off SoundCloud!