The debut full-length from Brooklyn's Led er Est finds the trio expanding beyond the minimal synth tag that defined their early work and offering something that's more fully realized both in sound and song craft. That's not to imply that the band has completely eschewed their icy, cold wave aesthetic, there are just more musical dynamics at play here, from the Clan of Xymox-influenced "Port Isabel" to the early industrial nods of "Something for the Children."

Wierd Records brings us Dust on Common, the first full-length from Led Er Est. Formed in 2007, the New York trio possesses a dark, cavernous yet tuneful synthwave quality, even resembling Trisomie 21 on tracks like "Port Isabel." At the same time, however, there are also equal elements of post-punk and a bit of raw pop reminiscent of groups as dissimilar as early Simple Minds (when Led Er Est adopts a more driving sound) and early Human League. As you'd expect from the Wierd Records camp, the band doesn't take these reference points or their influences lightly. Dust on Common varies from propulsive, intense synthwave (e.g. "Unkept Area," "Scissors" and "Laredo" -- the latter complete with an angular post-punk guitar lead) to prance-y slow synthpop ("Destination Sanity"), to slow industrial soundtrack music ("Something for the Children"). There's even the Argento/Claudio Simonetti-esque ''CC'' that serves as the outro track for the album. Strictly serious stuff for the heads who can tell the difference between those who are down with this sound and those who are simply "trying it on" for cool points. Recommended!

-Scott Mou (November 30, 2009)