The 5 University drop outs from Oxford, release there much awaited 2nd album, Total Life Forever, to their expecting audience.
After a much praised debut album, there were high expectations for this record from the art house punks and it duly delivers with its blend of soulful, upbeat bass, electro drum beats, abstract lyrics, uncategorised guitar and electro keyboards.
This is a much more mature album, showing how there they have come since they formed in 2006, there style is different from any guitar band of the moment, they are fresh, experimental and manage to include influences from artists of the past without sounding anything other than unique.
The first track, Blue Blood, begins gently with xylophone like keyboards, before a fantastic upbeat bass line, helped along by plucked metallic strings ups the tempo of this track, bringing the vocals forward, from the background, before electro keyboards, reminiscent of 80's pop really kick this poppy track forward. The instruments and vocals take turns to rise and fall in loops, building up tension then adding a perception of depth. A great upbeat song to start the record with.
Miam! Carries on the upbeat theme, funky drum beats and lovely low, soulful bass, play throughout, while playful keyboard beats and rhythmic plucked guitar strings add layers, assisting the vocals, which are sung with vigour. The track begins soulfully before becoming upbeat and poppy like the first track, the instruments and vocals again, rising and falling adding depth and tension.
Total Life Forerver, the title track, shows a different style, of the many present on this record. The lyrics are chanted throughout, over a more intricate guitar, overlaid with simple electro keyboard beats, the drum and bass is gentle and funky keeping your toe tapping. The track steadies and the instruments silence to deep chants of abstract lyrics, while hand claps add rhythm, before the track again returns to its funky, tempo, of soulfully played instruments.
Black Gold starts with funky, muted drums and echoing keyboard, there is a definite arty, classy feel to the song which is tempting to compare to styles of Siouxie and the Banshees and Echo and the Bunnymen. There is a definite feel of emotion in the voice of lead singer, Yannis Philippakis, as his lyrics question and intrigue, before breaking into chants again during the chorus, as the keyboard playing frenzies and eerie, gospel like oohs and aahs from the backing singers, back up his chants, before the track again breaks into its soulful rhythm, showing layer after layer. A brief guitar solo is played along with a high bass line and a fast tempo drum beat with muted symbols, before the instruments once again explode towards the end. A huge track, full of layers and depth, showing real musical ability and experimentation.
Spanish Sahara, takes us on another musical journey, this compelling track, breaks us in gently, with footstep like drumming and the soft plucking of an electric guitar, wave like sounds are sampled, adding tension to the already tense, desperate and distant voice of Phillipakis. The guitar lifts and with it the bass plays high and melodious while the drums play softly with rhythmic keyboards, broken only by the occasional crash of a symbol, before another layer is added of rhythmic 4 beat drums and wonderfully soft bass, before keyboards and metallic riffs of guitar are added to the medley to end the track.
This orient, starts with an up and down rhythm of pop like keyboards, before a crash of drums and then a high, fast bass line and metallic guitar. More conventional in its conviction, but abstract all the same, lyrics are sung with an unfamiliar happiness adding to the pop feel of this track. The track pauses gently, to allow piano like keyboards and chants of vocals to add tension, before the instruments again take off.
Fuges is an arty, odd, experimental and short track. Purely an experimental, instrumental, playing piano like keyboards over sci-fi like samples and then seconds later, nothing. Strange, yet compelling and leaving you wanting more.
After Glow begins with a very 80's use of echoed keyboards and slow tempo drums, again showing hints of influence from Echo and the Bunneymen. Low bass and soft strings carry the desperate, emotional vocals, which softly grow in stature, echoing and repeating. Drums explode midway through the track with belts of skin and crashes of symbol, played with huge metallic guitar riffs, before giving way to electro keyboards and high tempo drums, before the track falls again, instruments played solemnly and moody, before ending with looping plucked strings
Alabaster starts with mellow, plucked, electric strings and emotion filled, distant vocals. As the vocals come closer to the listener, military like drum beats march us forward to another layer of deep bass. The track rises and falls in huge loops again; it is different and far less upbeat from the others, but good listening none the less.
Trees begins with more 80's rhythm, then gentle strings, which rise in tempo, laying a platform, for the gently sung lyrics. Eerie keyboards add tension, as the vocals rise in pitch, before more xylophone like keyboards plod away, raising your foot up and down with the rhythm, more layers are added, a steady drum beat plays under distorted guitar and eerie sampling, as the keyboard rhythm ends, followed by the drum beat which is replaced by more eerie and sci-fi sampling before the drum beat rises again allowing the experimenting with samples and keyboards to flourish. A track with lots of layers and a wonderful depth.
What remains is the perfect track to end an album, plodding, xylophone like keys again begin the track, before a wonderful funky bass line begins, followed by upbeat crashes of heavy drum skin and symbols. Building the tense nature of this record as the vocals rise, initially muted and distant, then chanted with great strain. Heavy, guitar riffs crash in and out over the once again, military like, heavy drum beat. Gentle Gallic like plucked strings are introduced and played beautifully over crashes of symbol, then fade, with the vocals, which are one minute full of emotion and desperation and the next a chanted anthem.
Overall this is a wonderfully crafted, intricate album, showing musical maturity, experimentation and guts. It may not ever be labelled as a classic but it is an extremely worthy addition to any record collection. It shows bravery and determination and a desire to be different and not to make music for the hell of it, but for the love of it.
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Black Gold starts with funky, muted drums and echoing keyboard, there is a definite arty, classy feel to the song which is tempting to compare to styles of Siouxie and the Banshees and Echo and the Bunnymen. There is a definite feel of emotion in the voice of lead singer, Yannis Philippakis, as his lyrics question and intrigue, before breaking into chants again during the chorus, as the keyboard playing frenzies and eerie, gospel like oohs and aahs from the backing singers, back up his chants, before the track again breaks into its soulful rhythm, showing layer after layer. A brief guitar solo is played along with a high bass line and a fast tempo drum beat with muted symbols, before the instruments once again explode towards the end. A huge track, full of layers and depth, showing real musical ability and experimentation.
