Delphic Acolyte (Polydor)
4/5
By: Rachel Bolland
The vomit-inducing neon sh*t fest that was new (nu?) rave managed to infect magazines, airwaves, clothes, clubs and all other areas of popular culture in 2006 and 2007, including the Mercury Music Prize panel. Thankfully, the fad was quietly put to sleep a while back, allowing for a more grown up form of electro to fight off the neon shackles and make its way into the mainstream consciousness.
Manchester trio Delphic had to contend with a lot before the release of Acolyte, not least the huge amount of hype and expectation that surrounded it. However, they’ve battled through and managed to produce an album of sophisticated, mature electro. Recorded in Berlin, famed for its techno scene, the record has embodied a lot of the spirit of the scene - more minimalist monochrome than neon.
One of the things that stands out most about this record is the use of quiet moments, rather than the incessant noise other electro bands insist on putting out. They’ve contrasted these brilliantly with moments that are guaranteed to send dance-floors across the country mental. The seven-minute long epic title-track climaxes perfectly. The subtly of the opening is slowly eroded away until the track allows Delphic to do what they do best: create some of the best electro music around. By blending their almost ethereal vocals, high-pitched synths and heavy drum beats they create euphoric, catchy sequences that you can feel beating somewhere in your chest.
However, there are moments where the character of the album fails to come through. ‘Halcyon’ is the most generic techno tune on the record, lacking anything that makes it really special like most of the other tracks possess. A trashy techno beat underlies whiny vocals and it just doesn’t achieve anything. ‘Submission’ has a similar feel, the vocals taking on an early-90s house feel to them that just feels boring and out of place next to some of the other songs, particularly compared to something like ‘Doubt’. The vowel heavy opening of the lead single gives way to earnest lyrics and inticate synth parts.
Opener ‘Clarion Call’ epitomises the album’s fighting spirit. It advances with a slow, soft opening, constantly gathering strength and building itself up. Lyrically it calls to its followers, promising a new way of life, assuring them that this isn’t how it’s meant to be. Its climax, centring around the repeated cry of “A call to all/A call to arms/A call to everything you wanted it’s your life”, brings the battle to a head, fighting through the hype, through the expectations, through the shit of its neon predecessors, emerging out the other side only for it to abruptly end. It’s a perfect opener, setting out exactly what Delphic are aiming to achieve with Acolyte: a sleek, stylish electro album with moments of near total euphoria. Something they seem to have accomplished almost effortlessly.
Artists in this article: Delphic
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