New Laconia’s latest album, Stardust Bear Bazaar, has been years in the making. A quick glance through their discography will tell you that New Laconia has been toying with this project for almost exactly a year, building anticipation and a whole universe from their very first release, Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 1 – the opener to this atmospheric, almost otherworldly, fantastical project, while peppering previously released singles all the way through this journey. The whole album is rooted in unique, contemporary sounds that keep you tapping your feet as well as they engage your mind. It never tells you what it’s going to be, nor does it allow you to get comfortable with any one sound.
From its opener – a track that effortlessly blends spoken word with jazzy pop – the album asserts that it isn’t going to be like anything you’ve heard before, and then goes ahead to prove it with Fly or Die!, a high-energy rock track that furthers your journey through the universe of the Stardust Bear Bazaar. The Fates takes a break from this sound to go into a first-person narration of fate’s nature – “From chaos, a thread of life I spin all the time… In the twilight’s gloom I do await / scissors in hand to seal fate,” as New Laconia puts it, a call to the Fates in mythology. From this alt-rock, guitar-and-percussion-focused track, we move to Coming Home, a more emotionally driven instrumental that sounds like a bridge between nostalgia and the present; towards the end, New Laconia unleashes solid technique that transports you to another dimension.
Here, we reach the album’s turning point: Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 2. Continuing where part 1 left off, it brings back the core of the story while introducing new dimensions and characters, and the album’s second half answers questions that the first half brought to light. Journey to the Past brings urgency and strength to the forefront, while switching time midway to bring a more ballad-like feel to the existing atmosphere. New Laconia brings an instrumental, jazz-inspired breather before Captain Daredevil picks up the pace with confidence and clarity. Cosmic Flowers brings a delicate sound to the album before blooming into a prog-rock solo, and that leads us to the epic finisher, Stardust Bear Bazaar, Pt. 3. Returning to spoken word, it ties up all the loose ends while opening up further narrative lines, showcasing the best of New Laconia’s vision. Overall, this is an album that shifts genres with ease, taking you through a sonic journey. Check it out here!