Album – Acolyte
Artist – Delphic
Label – Polydor (UK)
Producer – Ewan Pearson
Yeah I know. A record review has been a long time coming. My new year’s resolution for 2010 is to include more record reviews for you guys. Getting my paws all over the debut record Acolyte from Delphic definitely forced my hand into ensuring I put my feelings on this record to “paper” as it were. So with that said, let’s go!
I’ve written about Delphic, the electro-rock trio from Manchester on a couple of occasions very recently. Specifically, two of their singles which I quite liked in Counterpoint and the current single Doubt. They serve as a wonderful introduction to this highly talented band’s sound. A sound which notably finds itself very much indebted to the forefathers of dance-rock in New Order and dance culture as it evolved since. There’s elements of trance and downtempo to go along with the band’s natural predilection towards pop. All of this brings about the most important question: Does Acolyte bring the goods? Let’s take a look…
1. Clarion Call 2.56
One of the more brief songs on the record. Clarion Call starts off very softly, enticing, inviting the listener to come closer to the speaker as the vocals come in. Just when you find yourself ready to submit, the song reaches a crescendo with crashing drums with the message being demanded to the listener in the lyrics to take action in one’s own life before giving way to guitars to carry us to the end of the song. A good introduction to the record and sets us up for…
2. Doubt 4.06
For a young band worth their weight, it’s almost an imperative to stake your claim early in the way of a signature song. Delphic gets that out of the way almost immediately with Doubt. By far, the most obvious choice for a single on the record for its sing-along chorus and overall New order vibe especially with the Bernard Sumner like guitars in the bridge. The best way to describe this track would be to imagine a collaboration between New Order and Kele Okereke from Bloc Party singing. Either way, this song is truly a winner.
3. This Momentary 4.35
First off, it has to be said the video for This Momentary is a simply stellar piece of work.
The song itself is a slow burner. The vocals are reminiscent to what we heard in Clarion Call in its almost chant-like delivery as the music gathers momentum before the drums come in giving the impression that we’re about to kick into a head-pounding stomper….except there’s no stomping here. The song settles into a nice groove that seduces and soothes. While not my favourite song on the record, it’s a mood piece that is by no means a skip over track.
4. Red Lights 6.11
“I wanna stop for red lights, I wanna come up for air…”
Another slow burner but one that comes with a payoff for those with an attention span larger than a flea. For some reason, this song makes me think of what Friendly Fires would sound like after an extended remix. Once the song find its footing,it becomes a track that would be equally fitting for dancing at a Lower East Side lounge or barefoot in one’s room.
5. Acolyte 8.51
Ahh yes. The title track. It’s an instrumental. Depending on how you feel towards instrumentals, it can either be a good thing or a bad thing. Personally, I tend to vary on my feelings towards them. I’d be interested in hearing what could have been done on this track because the ahhs along don’t do this song justice. The song does, however, showcase the band’s talent for injecting a sense of warmth in the songs which tends to be somewhat difficult for many an electronic band.
6. Halcyon 4.43
Another favourite on the record. It’s also, in my opinion, a song worthy of single consideration. Quite possibly even more accessible than Doubt, it features a pretty nifty drum pattern in the second verse and a chorus that’s as hooky as anything found on the record. I love this track.
7. Submission 5.33
Now this is interesting! A bit of a change of pace as we find Delphic getting a bit darker in sound. The drum pattern and the pad sound scream new wave that is almost Cure/PSB like and we still hear the Sumner-like guitars appearing now and again. Too long to be considered a single, it’s also missing that big hook one looks for but it’s definitely a switch for the more colourful and vibrant tracks heard to this point and also serves as a wonderful…counterpoint to the next song which is…
8. Counterpoint 6.19
If it’s not Doubt, then it’s safe to say that this is indeed Delphic’s penultimate track. A gorgeous production that wouldn’t sound at all foreign on a Paul Van Dyk record, a plaintive vocal pleading for understanding and lamenting a lost love. The synths simply shimmer throughout in what is simply a beautiful track and a pleasure to listen to again and again. Doubt may be the band’s signature pop song in their nascent career but to me, this is where we catch a glimpse into where they are heading.
9. Ephemera 1.57
A very brief instrumental. Too brief to be anything more than a simple segue into the next track. Kind of pointless, to be perfectly frank.
10. Remain 6.34
The record closes with a light, piano-led number which allows the listener to breathe and relax. This is Delphic gone chill-out. Not a bad thing but then the downtempo sound has admittedly never been my cuppa.
The verdict? Definitely a solid step forward for this promising Manchester group. It’s awfully hard to write and create an electronic pop record that veers more towards the experimental side of things and still maanges to keep the listener interested and not simply filing it away only to be played for dinner parties. Delphic achieves the former much better than most on their first try.
To me, Acolyte is the sound of a band that has a lot of good ideas and did an earnest job of getting them all in to a ten song album. The pop moments are heavenly and well crafted, the more adventurous moments show the band’s talent and a will to push the envelope. As they mature, it stands to reason that Delphic will be able to mesh the two worlds of pop and experimentation with more precision and more cohesively. They’re off to a great start with a couple of great singles right off the bat. Don’t sleep on Delphic.
Stalk Me.