Light Beams - "Friendly"

Photo by Leah Gage

Dischord is one of those record labels that I'll listen to anything they put out at least once. Their latest is post-dance-punk band Light Beams. The Washington D.C. band just put out a new single, "Friendly." This new single stresses the dance in post-punk-dance. The song is heavy on percussion with samples adding an accent to the song. This is the kind of song Dischord punk purists may hate, but they are simply wrong. Light Beams are pushing the boundaries of punk (even post-dance-punk), and if this wonderfully hypnotic song isn't enough to force you to start moving, you may not have a soul.

Vocalist/bandleader Justin Wm. Moyer says of the new song:

“I was covering a protest at the Supreme Court, interviewing a demonstrator who was very critical of the media. I had taken some photos of the scene and the protester started challenging me – physically challenging me – about my photos. This person was getting very angry, and I was getting very angry. But I realized that the situation could be defused easily by, well, keeping things friendly. So I gave this person my phone and let him delete all the photos he objected to (which weren’t going to be published anyway). I thought this was a good outcome. I’m not always good at dealing with anger and, in a different part of my life, the argument might have ended a different way. This song is about that – and any situation where emotions threaten to get too big for the people experiencing them.”

You can watch the video for "Friendly" below. Wild Life is due out November 3 on Dischord Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Light Beams, check out the band on Instagram. Current tour dates are below the video.

11/2 Detroit MI at Donovan's

11/3 Chicago IL at Cafe Mustache

11/4 Madison WI at Communication

11/5 Cincinnati OH at MOTR

11/10 Brooklyn NY at Main Drag

11/17 Charlottesville VA at Visible Records

11/18 Washington, DC at Comet Ping Pong

11/19 Richmond VA at Banditos