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35. Vide Noir - Lord Huron (2018)

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After suffering a cataclysmic heartbreak that ripped apart the fabric of his universe, a man falls headlong into the abyss of time, space and loneliness. Meaning “black void” in French, Lord Huron’s third album Vide Noir is a sprawling and moody examination of the full gamut of post-breakup emotions. At times experiencing fear in the face of the emptiness and other times intrigued by the freedom it offers, the man struggles to cope with the uncertainty promised by the unknown. 

The album evokes the feeling of looking up at a night sky full of stars somewhere far from the lights of the city and really getting lost in the infiniteness, equally awestruck and terrified of the enormity of it all. It’s a concept album that’s well-executed and cohesive, deftly weaving together a number of motifs and vibes into a completely satisfying total package. “I don’t believe in life and won’t believe in death till I die…” an example of the desperate post-breakup nihilism elegantly affirmed by singer Ben Schneider on “Ancient Names Pt. II”. 

*image; cover art for the album Vide Noir by Lord Huron