A Lost Light

The fifth album from Pacific Heights, a.k.a. New Zealand artist Devin Abrams, was inspired by a dream about an 18th-century Londoner journeying to the Pacific. Its atmospheric sound blends classically inspired strings and piano with electronic production more akin to the drum ’n’ bass beats he played during his 15 years in Shapeshifter. The airiness of the opening songs represents the hope of the first days’ sailing, before the ominous “The End Is in Sight” signals an oncoming storm during which the character is thrown overboard. Marooned on a deserted island, haunting closer “My Dear Love Pt. 2” captures the emotional devastation: “Take the rock and the stones/Tie them to bones and sink/’cause it’s better than being alone.”