Like Haim, Chvrches arrive with a degree of expectation: both acts were picked in the BBC’s Sound of 2013 poll. Again like the Californians, they are drawn to the 1980s: the decade’s synth-pop this time.

The ingredients are faithfully assembled: a female focal point (vocalist Lauren Mayberry), big echoing beats, catchy electronics, an alternating air of melancholy and elation. The Scottish trio follow the formula deftly on their debut, albeit in a rather samey fashion, each song building up into a dramatic electro-pop anthem.

Chvrches

The Bones of What You Believe

(Virgin)

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Reuse this content (opens in new window) CommentsJump to comments section

Follow the topics in this article

Comments