In a new series of music reviews, Emotional Pop welcomes new contributor Elliott Dobbs into the fold with open arms. Some of you may be familiar with Elliott’s work through the fantastic mixes he has provided us with already or you may be aware of the club night he helps promote – Naive Melody.
Either way, he somewhat has a way with words so we gave him a copy of the new Chromatics album on Italians Do It Better (Hi Mike…) and asked him for his thoughts so why not kick back, listen to the album via Johnny Jewel’s SoundCloud account and read what is likely the most emotional review you are likely to stumble across…
Chromatics – Kill For Love (Italians Do It Better)
April showers do not deter this man, I may be a lot of things but when the Ipod reads “ready to disconnect” I’m ready to Jam. As long as I’ve got a decent drill top and some elastic left in my faithful adidas shorts then I’ll jog through the drizzle with the best of them.
The nature reserve was water logged so I crossed the park which takes you onto the Western Avenue cycle path (A40), you can run all the way up to Gypsy Corner from ours if you have the stamina and a motivating collection of extended remixes.
OOFT “Into the Black” and we’re into the music, what an opener. Neil Young’s My My, Hey Hey tamed, synthesized and set in motion to passing hatchbacks. I turned it up a couple of notches as I found my stride, feeling it’s essence and embracing the jangle of guitars as they met with my mood favorably.
“Kill For Love” is the energizing title track that’ll win your heart with the intro’s gleeful appregiated keys. The majestic vocals are reminiscent of M83′s Kim and Jessie, felt and true. “Back From The Grave” is so so good, this really is how you lay down a bass-line folks. If you found Desire’s Under Your Spell from the Drive soundtrack a little too squeaky clean, then this is what you’ve been waiting for.
The tempo steps up a notch for “The Page” and so did my pace, guitars wail and drums pound like Rumours if only Lindsey Buckingham had grown a pair a few years earlier. The soles of my feet pounding the path, this here is some good shit.
“Lady” will be comfortable territory for the Chromatics fans of Night Drive, as was the gentle descent towards the RAF base on a on a late Monday afternoon. The rain had eased off, I was breathing deeply and all was well. Next up “These Streets Will Never Look The Same” if you’re an emotional jogger then the sentiment should be just right for you, get it added to your on-the-go playlist and lace up. The vocals are haunting and there’s some distant drama happening deep in the mix that puts this in my fave tracks of 2012 so far category.
Then the darker moments of the album evolve, breakdown and reconstruct.
Perfect timing for disaster to strike. For some reason I thought I’d go Rocky style on the bollards in the middle of the cycle path. Weaving in and out of them like a young gun before his big fight I didn’t see the ill-placed building materials to one side. Whump!!! My toes collided into a stray slab of broken pavement and I went arse over tit into a vertical post. I picked myself up, took a look around and I’d been clocked by 2 teenagers walking a golden retriever, shame shame shame.
Unable to continue my run I wandered home picking concrete out of my palms listening to “The Eleventh Hour” and “A Matter Of Time”. Far sinister than I’d expected this record to go and yet enchanting. Not a far cry from the darker stung-out sounds of 4AD group This Mortal Coil.
I decided to finish it off later after the Manchester derby whilst applying antiseptic cream to the necessary tender spots.
Notable mentions from the latter part of the record are the stella vocal performances “At Your Door” and “The River”. Featuring the signature production techniques of the album; lush synths, warbling bass, and squashed drum patterns. Both tracks sit well between the more organically formed compositions on either side, like so many other components on this complete album – everything has it’s place.
All in all, a complex and detailed accomplishment from Johnny Jewel and the gang, all those hours of labour have paid off.
The pop crescendos will please fans of Drive yet terrify them as it takes turns reminiscent of Moroder’s Cat People. The fans of Night Drive patient enough to wait for this will be all the more sensitive to it’s charms, listening over and over this summer as they fall deeper and deeper into it’s clutches.
Round 2 next week. Bollards do not deter this man.
‘Kill For Love’ is scheduled for release on 21st May 2012. Pick up the album via Piccadilly Records, our favourite friendly independent record store.
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