ALBUM REVIEW: Disclosure - Settle

Originally published at Gigwise: http://www.gigwise.com/reviews/81943/disclosure---settle-pmr

Disclosure brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence seemingly appeared from nowhere (well, Surrey) and changed the game when it comes to mainstream dance music. Their debut single, the smooth and soulful ‘Latch’, rocketed straight into the Top 20, while follow- up ‘White Noise’, featuring AlunaGeorge did even better, scoring the duo a No.2 hit.

Since, the Top 10 has been crammed with first-class dance tunes from the likes of Duke Dumont, and Chris Malinchak, who have delivered first class dance to the mainstream. It feels very much like the Disclosure boys have paved the way for this massive onslaught of deep house and break beats, consequentially hijacking the typically irksome mainstream.

Their debut album features an eclectically cherry-picked mix of elite British collaborators including Jamie Woon, Jessie Ware, Ed Macfarlane of Friendly Fires and London Grammar, their spidery baselines and feverish beats providing the perfect backdrop. The album leans very much into the Chicago-house era, with deep UK -garage influences.

‘You And Me’, the third single to be taken from Settle, features Eliza Dolittle (who’s voice, outside of her twee, bubblegum, pop phase is amazingly brilliant) serves as confirmation of their just how astonishing talented they are. It is perfect, summery, expressive and no doubt a future festival favourite.

The charts were a baron wasteland of pop tarts and plastic boy bands, David Guetta and Flo Rida. And then, Disclosure happened. Are these guys from space? Their production style is on another level of brilliant, leaving Settle to play through like a greatest hits collection, each track just as entrancing and infectious as the next.

Friendly Fires release a bonus remix edition of Pala:

The mix is available to stream from http://www.wearefriendlyfires.com/

This is a highlight, I couldn't imagine that this song could have got any better, but I actually prefer this remix. There are also remixes by SBTRKT, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Benoit & Sergio. Really is worth a listen.

Published at: http://sonarmagazine.co.uk/post/14642199282/friendly-fires-live-review

LIVE REVIEW Friendly Fires – Southampton (Sonar Magazine)

Southampton Guildhall:  16th December 2011

Friendly Fires are back, armed with their sparkling second album, Pala. The album was inspired by the Aldous Huxley Novel, Island, a tale about a sociological experiment to create a perfect, paradise like society. Each track exudes this philosophy. Their live show was like a tropical explosion of summer, the perfect antidote amid the December’s rain and cold.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs gave us an electric warm up. He stood at his decks, awkwardly but ever so modestly bopping his head to his electro, power pop tracks. Household Goods sent everyone wild, and he has clearly, from the crowd’s reaction already collected a fan base. He is set to release his debut album next year.

Ed, Edd and Jack blasted onto the stage; their backdrop a large screen with a parrot slowly moving behind them.  They were welcomed with a rapturous applause and smiled back at the crowd’s ecstatic reaction. They started with Lovesick then superbly transcended into the mighty Jump in the pool. The unique thing about Friendly Fires is, they have the character and stage presence of a band, whilst twinning it with the energy and electricity of a DJ. It’s the perfect blend; even their more down tempo tracks like Pala and In the Hospital exude happiness and optimism.

Ed Macfarlane, lead singer, performed his usual dance moves; a clear expression of how passionate he is about the music they make. It works. Euphoria swept across the room whilst they played a mixture of their debut and Pala, each track clearly known and loved by everyone in the room.

They gave the perfect encore. Hawaiian Air, a single from Pala about the strenuous journey and the eventual arrival to the paradise like Hawaii, and Kiss of Life. I never wanted it to end. They have reinstated themselves as one of the freshest, most life affirming bands around.