Album Review: The Bones of What You Believe by Chvrches

Chvrches is one of those groups that's been floating around the internet for a while now. Scottish in origin, they had crafted a couple of web hits in the form of 2012's singles "Lies" and "The Mother We Share". Arguably, it was record label Neon Gold's blog posts about them that started them breaking big. Last week they released their first full length album, The Bones of What You Believe

It can't be understated that what Chvrches is doing, an electro-synth pop steeped in retro 80s nostalgia, is in with the indie music scene today. On one hand, that represents a great opportunity for an up and coming group like them. On the other, it means they're entering a saturated market. On some level, I have to admit that there's nothing Chvches is doing that feels exceptionally innovative, just because this sort of retro-pop revivalism has been everywhere in recent years (I again cite the 2011 film Drive's soundtrack as the tipping point for this becoming a full blown phenomenon). That is not to say, however, that they haven't come as close to perfecting the art as a group can get without being the Pet Shop Boys or Kavinsky.

The 80s influence on the record is palpable. All over the place, there are shades of PSB, Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears. Whether they intended it to or not, I also feel that many of the higher BPM tracks smack of old video game music as well (We Sink and Recover, seem particularly pointed examples, though the observation really applies to all of their faster track). Lead vocalist Lauren Mayberry's voice has an ethereal quality that jives very well with the group's electronic sound.

There are a number of tracks that stand out here. The two aforementioned songs that put them on the indie radar are great, thumping pop tracks, and the record's first single "We Sink" is an equally catchy endeavor. The album's fourth track, "Tether" introduces itself as a more introspective, subdued song, before a powerful synth line transforms it into an epic masterpiece at the midway point. And despite the fact that Mayberry is mostly absent on it, "Under the Tide" is a probably my favorite on the album. I couldn't tell you which of her band mates takes the mic, but the song reminds me a great deal of the 2012 Tanline's single "All of Me"; one of my favorites that year.

Bones is and excellent record, but it's not without its faults. Specifically, I found the tracks "Recovery", "Night Sky", "Lungs", and "Gun" to be significant disappointments compared to the rest of the album. Bones is a cutting edge work, brimming with passion and creative arrangements. But these four tracks feel like standard dance pop fair. Apart from a few duds, however, Chvrches debut album is one to be extremely proud of, and thus far, an easy contender for pop record of the year.