ALBUM REVIEW: Errors – Lease Of Life

8/10

ALBUM REVIEW: Errors - Lease Of Life

Glasgow’s Errors return with a new album that was recorded on Jura in the Hebrides and that fact, when coupled with the album’s cover art, might lead you to conclude that the post rock electronics of the band had been replaced by more pastoral leanings but that’s not the case. Lease Of Life is certainly different to Errors’ previous albums, however, as this time the band rely much more on electronic music than guitars and in doing so produce a very enjoyable album.

Opener Colossal Estates sets the scene beautifully, kicking off with floating electronic arpeggios that develop and grow into an instrumental with one eye on the dance floor, almost like New Order around the time of Low Life. That title track follows where 80’s style synths reminiscent of Yazoo merge with bright keyboards throughout quite marvelously. There is, for want of a much less maligned phrase, an 80’s influence here; not the horrors of Howard Jones or any of the nostalgia tour mob, more the darker, more inventive end of 80’s electronic music. The vocals bring to mind Panda Bear’s recent work to bring us bang up to date. It’s a great track. Slow Rotor then follows, keeping the 80’s synth feel going by drawing influence from Pet Shop Boys at their pop peak. That decade’s influence continues throughout but it never dominates or sounds out of place.

Next up is New Winged Fire which is a great mix of wonky synths and chant-like vocals before the slower, darker instrumental Early Nights leads into Dull Care which is again looks to the Pet Shop Boys, this time in their Disco or Introspective guises. It’s a longer, female vocal led track with a chorus that has one of those melodies that all the finest electronic pop does. Genuflection takes housey pianos and what seems like a 90’s RnB feel and mixes it with almost ethereal vocals before transforming into a track with an Orbital feel. It’s a great track and, along with Colossal Estates and Slow Rotor a highlight of the album. Penultimate track, Putman Caraibe reverts to the 80’s feel before the 13 minute plus epic closer Through The Knowledge rounds the album off in fine style. All in all, an impressive release.

As with a number of Glasgow based bands, Errors have definitely caught the synth pop bug, but Lease Of Life is no bandwagon jumper. Errors maintain their sound and feel throughout, letting the electronics take their sound on a different but still impressive path.

Xsnoize Author
David McElroy 91 Articles
Fav Band: Depeche Mode Fav album: Violator - Depeche Mode

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