Preaching to the faithful

Preaching to the faithful

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Preaching to the faithful

The 'Sound of 2015' winners' debut album oozes pop brilliance, but lacks originality.

Years & Years/ Communion

In January, British electro-pop trio Years & Years managed to beat fellow up-and-comers like Shamir and Kwabs, to take home the title of the BBC Sound of 2015, an annual poll whose past victors include the likes of Adele, Jessie J, Haim and Sam Smith.

Fronted by 24-year-old actor Olly Alexander (Skins, The Riot Club, God Help the Girl), Y&Y started out as an indie act before signing with boutique French label Kitsune and Polydor Records.

Since its inception in 2012, the band has released a total of six singles — all of which leaned towards the pop-house territory that seems to be de rigueur in contemporary music.

Such is the very sound that underpins the majority of Communion, the band’s highly-anticipated record that follows last year’s Real EP. Tracks like Desire, Worship and UK No 1 King are built on a well-oiled roster of slick synth lines, smooth R&B groove and irresistible choruses sung with Alexander’s soulful, falsetto-abled warble.

King, in particular, is brimming with shimmering synths coupled with a breezy Balearic vibe that appeals to the masses, not to mention a chorus that is so easy to sing along to. It goes: “And oh, oh, oh, I was a king under your control/And oh, oh, oh, I wanna feel like you’ve let me go, so let me go.” That the song went to No 1 on the UK Top 40 Singles Chart is no wonder.

But this album isn’t exclusively about hook-centric dancefloor bangers; the trio is also well-versed in crafting a simple pop jam that can be enjoyed lounging around the house. Take the super chill opener Foundation, Shine with its semi tempo infectiousness and boy band sensibility, or the dancehall-inspired Take Shelter that invites some casual hip swaying. Even heartbreak ballads like Eyes Shut, Border and Memo are done with the kind of lush melody that goes hand in hand with Alexander’s pliable vocals. It’s these slower offerings that best showcase his emotive voice — a voice that sometimes reminds us of Justin Timberlake, other times of Abel Tesfaye of The Weeknd or even Michael Jackson.

Communion isn’t a bad record — quite far from it. This is a decent, well-rounded pop production that has a bit of everything for everyone whether it’s a euphoric floor-filler, a tear-jerking ballad or anything in between. What’s more, the band itself possesses enough personality to stand out from the crowd, thanks to its likeable frontman.

The only real problem, though, is that in the context of Sound of 2015, the trio still leave a lot to be desired as a holder of that title. Compared to other boundary-pushing artists like FKA twigs and Lapsley, there’s very little to be had in the way of innovation with Y&Y, and in that respect, Communion comes across as quite a letdown. n

THE PLAYLIST

Two Pills After Meal/ Ror For Tor (Prompt)

After having their single Khem Cheed Ya (Needle), included on Smallroom’s compilation Fang Pleng Thai Kay Kai Mai Muen Krai last year, Bangkok-based indie duo Two Pills After Meal are back with an indie-pop ditty called Ror For Tor (Prompt). The song is mainly about being brave enough to make a journey to your destination on an empty train (“Be ready, be ready, ready, no need to wait for anything else/Go forth, even when there’s no one around you”). With only keyboard and drums at play, the band produces a surprisingly well-rounded sound that has us really excited about its future.

Duran Duran (featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers)/ Pressure Off

Ahead of the release of their 14th studio album, Paper Gods, the long-serving ’80s band gives us a taste of what's to come in the form of disco-funk lead single, Pressure Off. Joining forces with funk R&B songstress Janelle Monae and legendary guitarist Nile Rodgers, the synth-pop quartet are breathing catchy new life into the ubiquitous template of slinky retro guitars. “Everybody everywhere, feel it in the air/It’s time to take the pressure off,” goes the buoyant chorus assisted by Monae. Paper Gods marks the group’s first new music in five years and is due out in September.

The Chemical Brothers (featuring St Vincent)/ Under Neon Lights

Apart from Duran Duran, revered rave duo The Chemical Brothers are also poised for a comeback. Having emerged from a five-year hiatus, the pair previously announced their new LP, Born in the Echoes, and shared two tracks: Sometimes I Feel So Deserted and Go (featuring Q-Tip). Here, we have another offering, Under Neon Lights, a collaboration with the wonderfully eccentric Annie Clark of St Vincent. “And she moves to suicide, in and under neon lights/Got no husband, got no wife/All I want’s a view tonight,” Clark offers in the chorus, staying true to her offbeat ways.

Neil Young/ Wolf Moon

Lifted from Neil Young’s highly political and environmental latest record The Monsanto Years, Wolf Moon finds the iconic singer-songwriter teaming up with Promise of the Year, a band made up of American country legend Willie Nelson’s sons. Kicking off with lilting harmonica, the track is a delicate ballad whose title refers to January’s full moon in the Farmer’s Almanac. Young expresses his gratitude to the Luna, crooning: “Wolf moon, thank you for risin’/Big sky I’m grateful for your parting clouds/Seeds of life your glowing fields of wheat/Windy fields of barley at your feet.”

Pharrell Williams/ Freedom

In case you missed it, the launch of Apple Music last month also saw Pharrell dropping his new cut, Freedom. While some sonic similarities to his 2013 smash hit, Happy, can be detected, the song is much more serious in its overall tone. “Your first name is Free, last name is Dom/We choose to believe, in where we’re from,” Williams sings in the opening verse before asserting his message in the horns-heavy chorus, “Man’s red flower/It’s in every living thing/Mind, use your power/Spirit, use your wings/Freedom!” n

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