Released 29th September
Last Gang Records
8/10
Three years after their initial exposure with the sleeper hit ‘A Real Hero’, their collaboration with French outfit College from the critically lauded Drive soundtrack, Canadian electropop duo Electric Youth have finally emerged from the studio with their first full length album, Innerworld. Filled with much the same retro stylings as their debut single—which gets an encore here as the album’s hypnotic closer—the record is a faithful throwback to the world of 80s pop; this shouldn’t be surprising for a band who takes their name from a Debbie Gibson song. Every track is carried by the familiar warm soundscapes of vintage keyboards complemented by haunting, ethereal vocals, resulting in an album which is both immersive and otherworldly in even measure.
After a short, instrumental opener, lead single ‘Runaway’ introduces the vast, cinematic quality that permeates much of the record, awash with synthesizers and chugging new wave guitars as vocalist Bronwyn Griffin, whose voice bears more than a passing resemblance to a young Madonna, delivers the first of many euphoric choruses. The wistful, nostalgic ‘Innocence’ is another early highlight, which laments the loss of youth over cascading keyboards and a restrained, pulsating beat. ‘Without You’ meanwhile, the album’s most unabashedly pop moment, is a Robyn-esque breakup song that melds dreamy, soaring vocals with twinking synths over a driving bass line.
As far as debut albums go, Innerworld is impressively well thought out and cohesive, though this strength is also at times its downfall; whilst the likes of ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘The Best Thing’ are both melancholy ballads whose quality justify the album’s tendency for sleepy tempos, ‘If All She Has Is You’ and bonus track ‘Modern Fears’ both overstay their welcome with plodding rhythms and hooks that, try as they might, never quite achieve liftoff. This is a small complaint—which, given the quality of the high points, is forgivable—but also one that keeps the album from achieving the status of an instant classic.
Anyone who enjoyed ‘A Real Hero’ will undoubtedly find Innerworld worth the wait, as each of its tracks follow roughly the same formula of hazy, intricately layered pop. Electric Youth have created a distinctive sound which, if they can build upon effectively next time round, has the potential to be welcomed by the mainstream and indie kids alike.
