Dark Light

Formerly a vehicle for singer-songwriter Carolyn Berk, Lovers morphs into a trio for Dark Light with the addition of Kerby Ferris on keyboards and synthesizer and Emily Kingan on drums. The new lineup brings with it a new sound and direction as the band moves from acoustic guitar based songs to atmospheric, stripped-down electronica. Berk’s enchanting voice is well suited to this format as are the pleasing intertwining harmony vocals that dominate the choruses of these 10 tunes. Hovering between dreamy (“Don’t You Want It,” “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”) and danceable (“Figure 8,” “To Be a Dancer”) the band creates a haunting, forlorn mood that matches the introspective and lovelorn lyrics. The melodies and hooks are consistently good and come together best on the standouts “Barnacle” and “Boxer,” both of which ride an infectious combination of synth and snare drum beats. Understated and stark, Lovers does a lot with a little on Dark Light.