Toronto-based duo Loveproof immerse with their sophomore LP, Neon Blood Volume 2 — a 10-track collection that fuses dream pop, indie rock, and dub with delectably dark, gothic undertones. Atmospheric soundscapes are abundant, blending timely lyricism, lush synth textures, and bass-driven grooves into an alluring listening experience. Vocalist Ciaran Megahey and producer Brendan McGarvey bring years of craftsmanship to the release, resulting in a thorough success from the project.
“Blood Eagle” opens the album with intriguing, dreamy entrancement — weaving solemnly melodic vocals with a steady bass pulse and hazy textural flair. Its consistent tonal disposition makes for a wholly hypnotic kick-off to the release, fondly reminiscent of Sea Power’s knack for atmospheric rock and dreamy post-punk synergy. Ensuing track “Midnight Sun” is another standout, immediately gripping in its “from the shadows of the damned comes a perfect laughter” ominous lyricism and twangy guitar moodiness. The one-minute turn unveils a more elongated vocal feeling, moving cohesively from the more sporadic lushness of the verses. The dub-inspired bass work and serene vocals shift into a more spacious elegance as the three-minute turn passes, then invigorating with a sating outro that re-infuses the heavy bass enjoyment.
Strutting a more caressing, brighter soaring than the first two tracks, “Mirrors” continues the exceptionally strong start to the album, which doesn’t let up in its quality songwriting throughout its ten tracks. Illuminated synths and jangling guitars coexist with exceptional cohesion, as the opening lyrics — “he found God in a mirror / while the flames were high” — traverse into heavier rhythmic complements. Neon Blood Volume 2 consistently stirs in its poignant lyricism, and this is a stellar example. “Mirrors” thematically plays like a process of personal awakening, prompted by one’s own reflection — with the self-consuming imagery of the “mirrors of mirrors” chorus pinpointing a digital-age narcissism, where self-scrutiny blurs identity and leaves modern individuality feeling empty.
“Daughter of Time” also excels in its traversal from dreamy, synth-forward atmospherics into a blissfully lush array of rhythms, nocturnal guitar tones, and haunting vocals. The vocal disposition and overall production enjoyably reminds of Depeche Mode, while subsequent track “This Hunger” unveils a more infectiously trickling demeanor in its crawling guitar lines and percussive pitter-patter. A reflective lyrical quality persists alongside, from its opening remarks of “From a wayback machine / Nothing is quite what it seems” to later depictions of memories bending under distortion, where past and present blur into a shifting haze: “Through the windows of time / Nothing is quite what you find.”
The album’s final tracks continue the enthralling display of atmosphere and emotive power, from the warming and lulling mystique of “From the Trees” to album finale “Untouchable,” melding post-punk rhythmic undercurrents with modern insight on corruption and power. The song depicts a ruthless, predatory world where unseen forces — “Merchant man / Invisible hands” — make power untouchable, leaving innocence exposed and survival uncertain, as one begins to realize “that the fix was always in.” Neon Blood Volume 2 is an enveloping, powerful showcase in songwriting and atmospheric production from Loveproof.
