Releasing two records in less than two years isn’t an easy feat, and Curse of Lono managed to do it on opposite sides of the world. The quintet’s sophomore release As I Fell was recorded in two disparate locales (Joshua Tree, Calif. and Hackney, London) and that ambling, restless mentality seeps into its 11 tracks. Much like the band’s debut, Severed , Curse of Lono’s second outing takes on heavy themes like drugs, death and the emotional wreckage that comes with them. Gothic imagery abounds and singer-songwriter Felix Bechtolsheimer fights his demons valiantly, with cinematic, indie soundscapes and a writer’s wit. “Honey wait ‘til it gets dark, I’ve got a dagger for your lovers heart,” he sings on “Valentine,” the albums’ upbeat opener. “When I write a song, I always have visions in my head. I see the characters and I see the landscapes,” Bechtolsheimer said in a recent documentary about creating this LP. And while the cosmic rumblings of a song like “I’d Start A War for You,” sound akin to Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell,” and hint at Bechtolsheimer’s darker tendencies, it’s tracks like “Blackout Fever,” with its group vocals and thumping bassline that give this gothic landscape the perfect amount of shine. Consequently, As I Fell is equal parts British gloom and American mysticism; and the same could be said for Curse of Lono itself.