Title: Lights And Offerings
Artist: Mirrors
Genre: Electronic Pop
Release Date: 18th March 2011
Label: Pias Germany
Album Review
Other than another British band that has experienced a hype recently, the name’s HURTS, MIRRORS from Brighton have cultivated a penchant for the other side of the road. They love to work with old synthesizers and don’t even care for their idiosyncrasies like them never sounding the same twice, or doing what they should two days in a row. Against all odds, they managed to get a series of tracks out of their machines, many of them collected on their debut album ‘Lights And Offerings’ which is slated for a release on 18th March.
The synth line opening the first track ‘Fear Of Drowning’ shows a certain similarity to ‘Baba O’Riley’ of THE WHO. Homage to a great band I’d say and the only thing borrowed in here. Gradually, they’re adding more layers, atmospheres and textures until it all really kicks off with James’ vocals and blossoms in a wonderfully nostalgic and melancholic pop song. While we’re talking about pop songs, there’s something I’m really missing in today’s popular music. They’re lacking something that really grabs you; that makes you want to hear it again; let’s call it a special kind of spark they can convey. You can feel it instantly that ‘Into The Heart’ has that sort of spark. First it’s only a sense of longing, resonating within the synth fabric, then comes this chorus, forcing you to go along with it and to sing as soon as you know the lines. It’s simply brilliant and somewhat exhilarating. The latter is a feeling I didn’t get from ‘Write Through The Night’ at all. Here’s a kind of sunset mood, the kind of feeling you get when darkness starts covering the land and all the uneasy feelings you were able to suppress over the day are taking control of your thinking again. The atmosphere’s dense and immersive and multiplies the impact of the lyrics. Also, you can hear a guitar somewhere within.
‘Hide And Seek’ is another one of my favourites. It’s proceeding straight-forward in a minimalist fashion in its beginnings. Along the way, subdued melody sprinkles sneak in until a kaleidoscopic explosion of arrangements takes you all in and underscores the feeling of affection that’s within these lines. Also it tells you not to hide your true feelings from the world, most importantly not from the person that cares about you “Be sad if you’re feeling sad /don’t play sad if you’re feeling glad” Upon reaching ‘Somewhere Strange’ I had a feeling of listening to an early PET SHOP BOYS track until the vocals reminded me whom I was just listening to and recognized it has indeed an own colour to it. ‘Something On Your Mind’ is taking it rather slow; its electronic pulses fading in the distance. One of those tracks never getting loud, drawing their fascination from leaving ample spaces for thoughts within their airy arrangements, while ‘Searching In The Wilderness’ has quite a contrary effect on me. It’s making me want to dance, rather than think too much. It’s a bold track, has kind of an in-your-face attitude.
The last one is the longest one. ‘Secrets’ stretches over 10 minutes and that’s even a shortened version I read. Usually very common in Progressive Rock/Metal! Anyway, to a certain duration the track has gone through a normal development but about 4.5 minutes into the track it’s getting experimental, drifting into ambient realms, like taking off into space right now. The rhythm first disappears, and then returns as a very subtle and oddly timed off-beat. Simply fascinating if you’re a sound fetishist! At some point the rhythm from before comes back in, but the sound gimmicks keep coming. I’m wondering what those cut off minutes contained. Perhaps, we’ll get to know sometime with a ‘Full Version’.
The track is putting a grandiose end to a debut album that regardless of its vintage tinge sounds quite fresh to me. More importantly, it’s not serving you all the details on a silver plate; you’ll have to take your time to explore all the bits and pieces hidden in its depth. If you’re into such music there’s no way around checking them out, and if you were amongst those not liking HURTS at all, you might find pleasure in this young band.
Tracklist
01. Fear of Drowning - 6:23
02. Look at me - 3:44
03. Into the Heart - 4:20
04. Write through the night - 4:34
05. Ways to an end - 4:51
06. Hide and Seek - 3:53
07. Somewhere strange - 5:44
08. Something on your mind - 3:02
09. Searching in the Wilderness - 3:30
10. Secrets - 10:31
Line-Up
James - Synthesizer, Voices
Ally - Synthesizer, Voices
Tate - Synthesizer
Josef - Electronic drums
Website
http://www.theworldofmirrors.blogspot.com / http://www.facebook.com/theworldofmirrors
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9 / 10
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