Wild Light
by 65daysofstatic
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
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  1. Pretty Much Amazing
    Oct 15, 2013
    91
    For anyone who can appreciate emotional breadth that music is capable of conveying, make Wild Light a part of your life. It may be the best instrumental album you hear this year.
  2. Rock Sound
    Oct 15, 2013
    90
    Short of any psychotropic assistance, Wild Light is a credible substitute for nirvana, demanding you suspend your disbelief and just jump in feet first, setting yourself free from all corporeal existence.
  3. Drowned In Sound
    Oct 15, 2013
    90
    While Wild Light correctly prioritises focus over twists, there are sections that catch you by surprise.
  5. musicOMH.com
    Oct 15, 2013
    90
    It’s a story (almost cinematic), a journey, and far and away the greatest album they’ve done so far.
  6. AllMusic
    Dec 11, 2013
    80
    This is an ambitious, cohesive effort from the Sheffield band, and its complex and spacious sound is both beautifully engaging and highly rewarding.
  7. New Musical Express (NME)
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    Sheffield's ever-progressive 65daysofstatic have outdone themselves here, loading their fifth album of megaton guitar instrumentals with electronic styles.
  8. The Line of Best Fit
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    Wild Light as a whole represents the band’s most ambitious work to date; it’s a meticulously crafted and admirably complex record from a band that are constantly thrilling in their unpredictability.
  9. The Quietus
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    Here, it seems like 65dos are challenging themselves in a way that they are finally happy with, evoking the confidence of 'Exploding and matching that with the energy and intensity of The Fall of Math.
  10. DIY Magazine
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    Soaring arrangements and long tracks create a journey, as engaging as it is dramatic.
  11. Clash Music
    Oct 15, 2013
    80
    What the album lacks in genuine surprises--it features fewer floor-filling basslines than its makers’ previous LP ‘proper’, 2010’s dance-designed ‘We Were Exploding Anyway’--it more than makes up for in comprehensive consistency.
  12. Under The Radar
    Dec 4, 2013
    70
    Promising work. [Nov-Dec 2013, p.99]
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  13. Q Magazine
    Oct 15, 2013
    60
    The pomp they derive from taking dour post-rock to a rave--notably here in Prisms--is satisfying. [Nov 2013, p.101]
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Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Best Album of 2013
83
#83 Most Shared Album of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. jesusaur
    Sep 2, 2023
    10
    Their best album by a country mile. Sounds incredible live to. The first 4-5 opening tracks are nothing short of perfection
  2. WolfLambert
    Aug 2, 2015
    10
    This record is nothing short of an absolute masterpiece. It handles its themes like a charm without even uttering a word (except for the introThis record is nothing short of an absolute masterpiece. It handles its themes like a charm without even uttering a word (except for the intro then). Expect to be blown away.… Full Review »
  3. Intonarumori
    May 23, 2014
    9
    There is a lot to like about Wild Light. It feels like an album, but any song can stand on its own as well. All the songs sound lush andThere is a lot to like about Wild Light. It feels like an album, but any song can stand on its own as well. All the songs sound lush and alive. There are a lot of interesting melodies and soundscapes. Everything is in its right place. The only problem I can identify is that there is no real point to the album, it is more of the same. There are no new ideas being pursued and no thinking outside of the box. What we're left with then is an album that is very enjoyable to listen to directly, but is also perfectly viable as background music because it is generally quite unassuming. I don't see anything wrong with that.… Full Review »
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