Album: Real Lies – Real Life

Released 16th October on Marathon Artists

7/10

Two years on since the release of their first single ‘Deeper,’ London three-piece Real Lies have brought electro pop, 90s samples, and their own melancholic house style together in their debut album Real Life. Tom Watson, Rart Kong and frontman Kev Kharas’s affection for British club music pervades the record.

Despite Kharas’s protestations, it’s hard not to pick up on influences from New Order to The Streets. That being said, the band has blended these influences with modern house and electronic music to form their own unique style.

Real Lies’ talent for lyrics and their slower electronic backing makes for a strong debut album which leaves room for growth. The album kicks off with ‘Blackmarket Blues,’ setting the tone for the album as swelling synths drown out morning birdsong. Carried by simple yet energetic synth loops Kharas portrays club culture with wonderful imagery from a “5am Exodus” to the morning church bells.

Real Life continues strong, although at ‘World Peace’ things begin to drag. ‘Deeper’ introduces a more melancholy side of the band whilst which is explored slightly more later in the album. ‘One Club Town’ is a wonderfully fun, ska influenced dance track that is simply infectious.

The recent single and strongest track on the album, ‘North Circular’, brings the true talent of Real Lies to the fore—namely Kev Kharas’ vocals and talent for lyrics. Set to simplistic percussion, ‘North Circular’ sees Kharas paint a bleak image of being a twenty-something living in Central London.

At this point, the record begins to flag. Granted ‘7 Sisters’ shows off the band’s lighter side in a catchy disco track. But towards the end of Real Life the energy drops, and without the same strength of Kharas’ lyrics he doesn’t quite manage to carry the tracks.

Overall Real Life is an exciting debut that hints at more great material to come. As long as Kharas can build on what’s worked so far, there is still plenty of room to mix other genres into Real Lies’ unique style, or simply just produce more catchy tracks.