Erasure - Tomorrow's World
Erasure have returned four years after their last studio album with Tomorrow's World, their impressive fourteenth record.
A producer doesn't always get enough credit in reviews or general conversation, but certainly deserves mention here.
Frankmusik (who has just released his second record) is worthy of some praise for his admirable work on this album, giving Tomorrow's World an infectious and contemporary sound.
His influence seems to give the epic synthpop a dance/club twist, complementing Andy Bell's vocals well.
Both the songwriting and mixing do a fine job of maintaining some consistency, feeling like a musical journey and yet another great album from the duo.
We're making a big deal out of the production and mixing (the latter the work of Rob Orton), but it really does a good job of preventing the synthpop sound from feeling too dated.
Andy Bell's vocals lift the record, particularly on the soaring 'You've Got To Save Me Right Now'.
It's not quite a perfect album, with tracks like 'Then I Go Twisting' not being ultimately memorable, but it's an rare exception on an otherwise excellent and concise album.
Tomorrow's World should continue Erasure's success and greatness, both critically, commercially and artistically.
Showing once again that synthpop isn't only represented by poor '90s Europop acts, it's an epic album from start to finish, although at just over half an hour long it perhaps could've been a little longer.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge
Tagged in Erasure