Hurts <i>Happiness</i> album cover. Photo / Supplied
Hurts <i>Happiness</i> album cover. Photo / Supplied
Rating: 4/5 Verdict: A pop debut that would better suit the title Moodiness
For something with such a promising name, this record doesn't exactly exude joy - in fact on the first listen, it comes across as slow, weird and slightly morose. But stick with it, and you might just find it a refreshing addition to your pop collection.
In their impressive debut,Manchester synth-pop duo Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson have created something that combines eccentric retro synth tracks and emotive pop ballads. Like their sharp outfits and side-swept hair, it's very clean-cut. It sounds like brand-spanking new nostalgia.
Many of the lofty, atmospheric tracks could accompany a film's slow-mo action sequences or sweeping footage over mountain ranges. Still, the crisp vocals and choruses have captured the attention of pop-lovers like Kylie Minogue, who joins Hutchcraft singing on Devotion. One of the least-imaginative but catchiest tunes on the album is Stay - a mighty ballad that draws comparisons to pop groups like the Fray.
Hutchcraft and Anderson say they are heavily influenced by Disco Lento, the Italian slow disco of the 1990s, which never really took off where they are from. Mixing those slightly dated sounds with some very cliche pop lyrics, they have created something stark and synth-driven, but written around warm loved-up themes. It's the sort of pop that won't make you want to move too quickly around the house when you put it on.
