Albums

ERRORS - Come Down With Me

Chris Tapley 08/03/2010

Rating: 4.5/5

It's a rare beast the album which makes you want to dance as well as making you think, I can't even remember the last one I heard. On their second album though this Glaswegian quartet have struck a perfect balance between upbeat instrumentals and ethereal post-rock. Whilst their previous output was never short of admirers it was often a little erratic, however a series of shows last year with home town compadres and label bosses Mogwai seems to have helped channel a touch more restraint in to their song writing, and it pays dividends.

The balance is nicely exhibited to some extent on the opening pairing of Bridge or Cloud and lead single A Rumour in Africa. The former swells out of a crackling well of grandiose drones before slowly and subtly morphing in to a brooding slice of bass driven synth-pop, then again sliding back in to rose tinted melancholy and back again to grinding guitar funk. The strength lies here in the subtle gear shifts, something which is evident again as we segue in to A Rumour in Africa; a sweaty palpitating beast of a single. Supertribe is another stand out track, opening with spoken word samples of what sounds like Scottish folk speaking French (something indicative of the albums seeming desire to perplex and delight in equal measures) it builds to a skewed symphony of warbling keys, synthetic drums and beautifully tranquil guitar.

In the second half tracks do start to bleed in to one another a little, and whilst still greatly enjoyable they're not as immediately gratifying as their counterparts at the beginning. Really the band's willingness to toy with form is one of the biggest successes of the record, refusing to adhere to a consistently dance based rhythmic tone throughout lends it more substance and cohesion; the ambient pieces helping to thread the album together as a continuous piece of work rather than a collection of tunes. Whilst the intense flurry of their more groove laden tracks such as Supertribe or Jolomo recall the likes of !!! or The Faint, there is also an intricate and eloquent restraint shown on tracks such as Sorry About the Mess that is reminiscent of groups such as Do Make Say Think. The latter tone is capped nicely with Beards, which may even be the highlight as far as I'm concerned. Its swirling mesmeric synths and crisp drum beats are the perfect wind down, even as it ramps up the tempo towards the end it's impossible not to have already become entangled in it's tide; a great closing track.

As far as second albums go this is about as emphatic as they come; a steady progression from their debut which whilst still retaining the bands original ethos also expands their sound and songwriting capabilities in a myriad of exciting directions. If this doesn't take Errors to the next level of exposure then there's surely something wrong with the mechanics of hype within the current musical climate.

Release date: 01/03/2010