Lights - A6 - Album Review

Canadian synth-pop sensation traverses grief, joy and self-discovery on album six - A6.

It’s been a decade since I became a fan of Canadian electro-pop visionary Lights. In that time, I’ve seen them experiment with sound and style, but one thing has stayed consistent. Each outing delivers stunning songs that traverse grief, joy, and Self-discovery. A6 Light’s sixth studio album is no different, except this album feels like exploring these themes through a sonic diary.

The album opens with the brief and atmospheric INTRO, before experiencing the soundscape of DAMAGE, a pulsing track, embodying the overall themes of A6, with its emotional gravitas over shimmering synth-wave. Followed by previously released singles ALIVE AGAIN and SURFACE TENSION.

There is a chaotic nature to ALIVE AGAIN, punched up by the new wave melody masking the soul-searching lyrics about hitting rock bottom. Light’s vocals soar with vulnerable sincerity that perfectly pairs with the sombre and shadowy SURFACE TENSION - one of my favourite tracks on the album, from the catchy hooks to the hypnotic German lyrics.

YOU’RE KILLING ME is a delicate track grappling with the emotional exhaustion within a relationship. The emotional nuance is beautifully on display as this is not a track about the start or the end but that mid-point. Where there’s baggage and how we cope with that is a topic rarely discussed in pop.

WHITE PAPER PALM TREES harkens back to Light’s earlier sound, which is a clever nod to the nostalgic nature of the lyrics. An ingenious blending of theme and sound on this upbeat synth bop. Then things take a darker turn on GHOST GIRL ON FIRST with alternative synth sound and haunting vocals from Lights.

Lights then brings back the shimmer and adds some breathing room between the emotional questions raised with tracks like TAKE IT EASY and DRINKS ON THE COAST. That under their dream-pop sheen hides deep introspection. That’s done in a way that cleanses the palate.

A6 then flips the vulnerability into cheeky, self-aware pop-rock on CLINGY. A breath of fresh air with gritty guitars and a pulsing bass line. Adding to the deck of genres explored through the record.

This is when we enter the harder-hitting side of the album where Light’s removes the sheen. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR and PIRAHNA are laced with tension, grit, and their trademark ability to shift moods and tones without altering the track’s DNA.

A6 plays as a journey of transformation, and closing track DAY TWO encapsulates that feeling. The gentle yet emotionally dense track leaves you longing and changed, open to the future ahead.

Six studio albums in, and no two albums are alike. A6 is another piece in the jigsaw that is Lights. A piece that is alive with pulsing emotions, curiosity, and creativity. There is something to be said that some of 2025’s best albums have explored the human condition, sung through the artist’s authenticity. Lights bare their soul in this neon-lit ride that’s a must listen for everyone.