Scottish trio Chvrches' debut album The Bones of What You Believe breathes new life into electro-pop, a genre gone stale with sound-alike's and sugar-coated top 40 clichés. Revamping 80's synth with a modern touch, Chvrches sit somewhere between the desolate atmosphere of The Knife and the experimental melodies of Robyn, but it's their widescreen musical bombast that ushers them into exciting new territory.
Glistening production swings between heavenly pop hooks ('The Mother We Share', 'We Sink' 'Recover') and borderline industrial templates ('Lies', 'Science/Visions', 'Lungs'), displaying an awareness in the power of both sonic simplicity and complexity. Neon synth's clash with electronic strips of colour; at times restrained and directed by vocalist Lauren Mayberry, and elsewhere let loose in kaleidoscopic textures by keys-men Ian Cook and Martin Doherty.
Balance is certainly the driving force of the album, and it is by contrasting the crystal clear voice of Mayberry - stinging all the more deeper with confronting wordplay - with the electro-heavy instrumentation that Chvrches truly soar. It's only when vocal duties are shared that their magic is forfeited, but those are minor setbacks in an album accessible, addictive and creative.
