A bittersweet yet upbeat opening track unfurls like an exotic Asian flower, or the soundtrack to a forgotten noirish Manga. Things continue in this ‘Bowie-does-Bladerunner’ vein for the Glasgow quartet before the thrilling introduction of vocals on the distorted ‘Magna Encarta’, all woozy melody over taut electronics and even tighter drumming.
These new vocals function like a textural instrument, obscure and indecipherable. This, along with increasingly traditional song structures humanises the band in an entirely new way. They’re still guitar led and retain a rock backbone but have transcended this with moments of glinting beauty.
‘Blank Media’ is a case in point, a transparent love letter to the Cocteau Twins, a multicoloured, multifaceted gem of loveliness. There’s definitely much more of a dance element to some tracks too, as demonstrated on ‘Pleasure Palaces’. More than once listening to this I’m reminded of the warped neon slickness of recent film ‘Drive’ and simultaneously of growing up in Scotland in the Eighties.
A studio roof caving incident at the outset of recording did nothing to distract them, they just convened instead at the guitarist’s house and worked on, collating their sounds at the end of each day. Bold, colourful and eclectic, ‘Have Some Faith’ displays a vivid musical palette showcasing a band growing in scope and stature. More corporeal than ethereal, the beauty here is constantly shifting, like mercury. It does contain magic, not of another world, but of this.
8/10
Words by ANNA WILSON
