ALBUMS
eeee
CHVRCHES love is dead (Virgin EMI)
When Chvrches first emerged in 2012, it was clear they were onto something special. Building on the heady foundations of debut ‘The Bones Of What You Believe’, 2015 followup ‘Every Open Eye’ saw the trio burst into searing life, seeing them transform their brand of eloquent electropop into bombastic bangers. As it so happens, that’s exactly where ‘Love Is Dead’ picks up. Sparkling synths and glorious percussive beats clear the way for ‘Graffiti’’s soaring chorus: it’s obvious that Chvrches aren’t messing about. The band somehow sound even more confident. ‘Get Out’ is a propulsive anthem, ‘Graves’ contrasts its sombre imagery with heady hooks, while ‘Deliverance’ slinks in the darkness before bursting into kaleidoscopic life. Elsewhere, ‘Never Say Die’ is a sky-reaching opus, heightened by an echoey call-and-response between the band’s Lauren Mayberry and Martin Doherty. Celebratory, rich and more confident than ever before, they’re yet again the finest versions of themselves. (Sarah Jamieson) LISTEN: ‘Deliverance’, ‘Never Say Die’
Photo: Phil Smithies.
64 diymag.com
CELEBRATORY AND RICH.