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This particular story starts some time ago, in the year 2006. I must admit, it was a good year for me. I was graduating high school and moving on to college. It was all very exciting, but little did I know it would also be the year I first heard one of my favorite bands, Lydia.
Lydia was first formed in 2003. Over time, the band took on many forms, in terms of its membership. One constant, however, was lead vocalist Leighton Antelman. From the first time I heard his music, I was hooked. The ambient drifting sound, mixed with heavy chords and dramatic beat drops paired so well with Leighton’s voice. Its a bit mesmerizing once you start listening.
From 2003 to 2018 Lydia put out 7 full length albums: This December; It’s One More and I’m Free (2005), Illuminate (2008), Assailants (2010), Paint It Golden (2011), Devil (2013), Run Wild (2015) and Liquor (2018). Click any of the albums below to purchase.
I think each album provided something a little different, but they each retained the same distinctive sound that Antelman stamps on all of his work. The way the songs flow, coupled with his voice, in a melodic maze of reverb certainly creates something that’s very unique.
Over the years, Lydia has seen its fair share of change and at times, dormancy. Despite the bands several hiatus, however, Leighton has continued to create. The Cinema was one of those creations.
This new side project was a bit of a continuation of the same style that Lydia pioneered, but provided a bit of a different twist. Antelman worked with producer Matt Malpass to create two albums: My Blood is Full of Airplanes (2011) and Talking in Your Sleep (2014). Click either of the albums below to purchase.
Overall I think the best way to describe The Cinema is essentially Lydia on steroids. The sound is unmistakably Leighton Antelmen but its BIG, with full heavy beats and synth instrumentation. The combination would seem to be a difficult thing to master, but I think The Cinema definitely pulled it off.
The group hasn’t put out any new music in quite a few years, but Antelman continues to create with Lydia and others. Most notably, Leighton worked with rapper Somnous on several tracks of his album Postcards. I felt the rapping certainly left something to be desired, but the addition of Antelman in the chorus definitely elevated each track. The blend of the two artists created something that in the end, was really cool.
Its been a pretty interesting journey since my first listen in 2006, but with every project, Leighton always seems to crush it. If you’re so inclined, check out some of the links below and take a listen for yourself.