Ivan Julian’s “Swing Your Lanterns” Has Edge and Excitement

February 23, 2023 by
Swing Your Lanterns Album Art

Swing Your Lanterns– Album Art

Ivan Julian is a guitarist, bassist, and founding member of Richard Hell and the Voidoids , who brings layers from his world travels into the rhythms of his music.  Growing up the son of a Navy officer, Julian was native to environments different from the norm, his playgrounds being the likes of Guantanamo Bay and Washington, D.C. He first picked up the guitar at age 13, and has not looked back since. 

Fast forward to today- Julian is a NYC native, with many records to his name and his newest album, Swing Your Lanterns, has just been released . The songs on the album are described as a reflection of Ivan’s experiences over the last five years and beyond, setting against the contemporary sociopolitical stage, asking the question: where do you stand during troubled times, and will you remain vigilant?  

Ivan Julian # 2/ photo by Sam Chen/ courtesy of Howlin' Wuelf Media

Ivan Julian / photo by Sam Chen / courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf Media

To kick off the album, “Cut Me Loose” begins with a 70s-esque feel, while offering very distinguished rhythms on the guitar. Throughout the track, it is easy to get lost in melodies and the audio panning .  The title track of the album, “Swing Your Lanterns” , gives the listener a completely different feel than what they were experiencing in other tracks. With a bit of  Middle Eastern and Latin American influences, and with hand drum -like sounds , it may take more time to get into the musical flow, after the first listening. It’s easy to get “lost” in the music once again, especially with lyrics like “step inside the real solution, revolution is the institution,” which drive Julian’s message of the album home.  

A strong suit of the album is its’ vast range in sound, texture and rhythm. An acoustic and calming track, “Cazalla”,  brings much light and hope to the listener, a perfect track for the train ride home after a long work day.  No two tracks sound the same, which offers great variety to listeners- there’s bound to be one track to favor! Some personal favorites include “Love Affair” and “Can’t Help Myself” for its edge and steady drum beats, making it hard to not sway or dance along.