Album Review: In-Flight Safety – “Conversationalist”

By: Paula Reid –

It’s been five years since Halifax-natives In-Flight Safety have released any new music, but their new album set for release today (September 9^th) features long-awaited new tracks.

Following 2009’s album We Are An Empire My Dear, the band’s warm and mellow sound was not particularly daring, and garnered comparisons to bands like Coldplay and Snow Patrol. Moments of tension filled the album, leaving listeners at the precipice of a build up with no reward.

On Conversationalist, In-Flight Safety’s John Mullane and Glen Nicholson took a more forceful approach. Gus Van Go mixed their latest album, meshing the mysterious and raw lyrics with playful guitar hooks and catchy melodies.

Lyrical imagery allows In-Flight Safety to stay honest while still taking a risk with their change in sound. Lead single “Animals” sums up what’s to come with their new work, but is just one of the upbeat tracks. Songs like “Stockholm” are just as rich with production and Mullane’s strong vocals build up to the anthemic chorus, which showcases electronic influences.

The most memorable songs add individual component to the broader themes on Conversationalist, a marked change credited to the influence of contemporary experimental bands like Walkmen, DIIV, and Wild Nothing. Taking direction from such diverse indie bands amounts to an amalgamated  sound that is hard to pin down. One of the tracks that illuminates In-Flight Safety’s dynamics is “Crowd”, an attention-grabbing and instrumental-heavy ethereal song

In-Flight Safety’s new album Conversationalist is adventurous and stands out from the rest of their catalogue, and proves to be worth the wait with the promise of more to come.

Essential Tracks: “Stockholm”, “Animals”, “Fight Night”, and “Crowd”.