Just like Marmite
"Cherish The Light Years" is a far less experimental experience than Wesley Eisold's last full length, more about melody and a cohesive atmosphere, however it is also very dark and moody in tone, partially due to Eisold adopting a different vocal approach which is a strange step and makes the Cold Cave sound a little more derivative as he now sounds exactly as you would expect an 80s New Wave front man to sound. The album draws on influences from New Wave/Goth (The Cure) and dark electro (Depeche Mode/New Order) the sound is firmly routed in the 80s and is extremely synth heavy.
The experimentalism hasn't all been lost, the relentlessness of the industrial synth backing is at times very heavy going and touches like the off kilter rhythms on 'Alchemy and You' and the harsh electronic squeals (sounds like an old game loading) on 'Icons Of Summer' play with your expectations. The more experimental moments are reminiscent of 70s and 80s Brit industrial synth outfit Cabaret Voltaire, but more poppy and not half interesting.
The production is intentionally odd, the vocals are sometimes almost drowned out by that constant buzz of unforgiving electro noise meaning that it feels like you're listening to the album through headphones on your journey to work; no matter how loud you have it you'll find you strain to hear the vocals. Again Eisold has contributors on board including Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw) but you'd be hard pressed to pick out their input as this is undoubtedly his sound.
While the album has many interesting moments its one of those love it or don't get it at all sounds, and this reviewer is in the later category.