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Archived Reviews
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This latest album from this Australian duo (plus guest bassist & flautist) sees Jordan & Mark Railton them combining their love of 80s synthpop & new romantic styles with a greater & pretty potent 'futurepop' stamp. Both sides of the coin are given equal consideration with such surefire dancefloor classics as 'Through The Darkness" & "Wine", which get proceedings off to a rip-roaring start, sitting quite comfortably alongside the beautiful "Hope", which boasts some superb piano & strings before the robust rhythms arrive to up the emotive mood still further before it returns to the melodic realms from whence it came. Given that this track follows "Love", "Death" & "Despair" (which, it must be said, doesn't sound particularly despairing) it's clear that there's some sort of concept at work here but, musically, it's the perfect mix of dynamics & emotional depth, an asset that is enhanced still further by Jordan's expressive, often soaring vocals that equal Ronan Harris for passionate conviction (& there's no reason why this album will enjoy a similar level of dancefloor adoration). The high standards set early on are maintained throughout with the pacier & slightly more mechanical "Save Me" soon revealing itself as another outstanding piece due to its exceptionally memorable chorus while "Life" builds from a more laidback opening via some impressive bass sequencing & through to a particularly soaring climax that has all the anthemic qualities you could ever wish for. And as the album nears its conclusion there's still plenty of satisfying listening to be had, including "Guide Me Home" where the analogue rhythms add a spikier aspect to this understated melodic piece while "Embrace" & "Haunted" provide further doses of the band's potent futurepop tonic, leaving the title track to close proceedings on a most satisfying note as the underlying rhythms add extra gumption to another effectively melodic track that once again confirms this album as a top class mix of feelings & dynamics. So if you're looking for an album of dancefloor faves that works its magic in any environment then look no further. |
