The second full-length record from Patterns In Traffic is a lush, dreamy, and picturesque musical landscape through the lens of self-discovery. The band is the solo moniker of Kyle Simons, who wrote, performed, mixed, and mastered the entire LP by himself, which only speaks to his incredible dedication to his craft. The latest effort, entitled Lights and Reflections, is a nice mix of emo-tinged anthems that drift somewhere between Mae, early Jimmy Eat World, paired with the pop polish of Owl City. The promotional cycle for this record was prefaced by two EPs 2020’s Reflections and 2021’s Lights which have been combined with three additional brand-new songs to make the full artistic statement in Lights and Reflections. Patterns In Traffic are on the right course as Simons’ musical journey unfolds majestically from start to finish.
Starting off with the dreamy synths found on the title track is a good choice, as it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Simons’ great sounding vocals in the chorus of, “Take my hand / Come with me / For the view from the tops of the trees / At this height / The lights and reflections can blind you / So come on, leave it all behind you / Let me take you away,” are very picturesque and his voice is comforting as it guides the listener through their listening experience. He picks up the pace significantly in the electric guitar-driven “Echo,” that features a pulsating bass line and a chorus that will stick in your head for days on end. The second verse of, “A single point of failure / On a single file line / A simple message that you must stay on track / And leave the past behind,” features some good advice for either himself or others to follow as he outlines a clear path forward.
My personal favorite in the set comes in the third song, “The Music Plays,” that features a cool, programmed beat and interesting transitions throughout the song. Simons paints a nice picture of a person vibin’ with the music in the full chorus of, “She’s waiting ’til the music plays / She’s waiting for the one that stays / She’s waiting ’til the music plays / She’s waiting ’til the music plays / She’s waiting just to see, to see his face / She’s waiting ’til the music plays.” It has a very Andrew McMahon feel to the song, and reminded me a bit of the ground McMahon covered in The Pop Underground EP.
Other songs like “Beautiful Surprise” paint a vivid picture of falling in love, while “Hotel Chelsea” finds Simons reflecting on the past as he opens with, “I wish I would have been a little bolder / Wish I hadn’t been so afraid to hold you / I wish your beauty hadn’t blinded me / And I could relax in your company.” His ability to convey a wide range of emotions and let the listener into his headspace is endearing and authentic.
”Fi’s Song” gives off some cool Owl City vibes with its nice guitar tones paired with vibrant synths, and “No Wonderland” is a nice halfway point in the set to reflect on the material that came before. Things pick up again nicely on “Sparks Fly,” a nice upbeat track about making that connection with the person that means the most to you in this world. The chorus is paired with some spiraling synths as Simons sings, “Sparks fly every time / I look into your eyes / It’s such a telltale sign / Can I take you home tonight? / We’ve been waiting for this chance to throw our inhibitions aside.” His well-crafted lyrics are filled with relatable material paired with vivid storytelling.
The back half never loses momentum even with quieter songs like “Safe To Say” and “So Damaged” that are largely built around an acoustic guitar to provide the musical imagery. “Living Without You” breaks up some of the similar-sounding songs with a slow-building approach to songwriting that is incredibly well thought out. The album closer features a great bridge in “I still believe what I told you that night / Four years ago in the Florida moonlight / I’ll always be happy with you by my side / Living without you is not quite right,” as Simons has made an album filled with great sounding riffs, thoughtful and introspective lyrics, all matched with paying homage to artists that came before him while still making music that is undoubtedly authentic to who he is. Patterns In Traffic are surely on the right path, and I look forward to seeing where Simons takes his music next.