Shine Your Light

Gap Dream is Gabriel Fulvimar, one of those wizards like John Vanderslice who make music bursting at the seams pretty much on their own while sounding like a four-piece band. This is the second outing from Fulvimar, an Ohio native now in SoCal. While it moves on from the retro-garage sound of his self-titled debut, Shine Your Light keeps that vibe of being well marinated in Those Who Came Before. Here we’ve got hints of ELO, The Kinks, and Kraftwerk, to name a few, with whooshing synths carving enticing grooves that are impossible to leave—just try stopping “Shine Your Love” or “Chill Spot” before they end. Fulvimar’s double-tracked, reverbed voice beams in from some other plane. Intersecting synths of differing breeds (rhythm keepers, regal faux trumpets, dance floor inducements, vintage B-movie strays) dominate Shine Your Light, rendering guitars almost useless on tunes like ”Fantastic Sam.” That song is all playful swagger, with echoing percussive thuds, handclaps, and buoyant keyboards; you hardly notice the lack of guitar. When it does show up, gritty and trailing some garage rock vapors from another time, it’s just an added treat.