Alpines - Another River
The cover photograph on Alpines' follow-up to Oasis shows Catherine Pockson and Bob Matthews walking across the desolate shingle headland of Dungeness in Kent. In the background can be seen the nearby nuclear power station. It perfectly reflects the dark contrasts lurking within this sophomore release. Much less pop-influenced than its predecessor, these sonic landscapes draw on opposing palettes of vast emptiness and concentrated emotive power.
The 2014 debut saw tracks being picked up by fashion houses like All Saints, Paul Smith and Urban Outfitters. This time around the labels may want to listen to the lyrics very carefully before nailing these futurist, more intense, colours to their catwalk masts.
Let's be clear. Each and every track on this album is a work of beauty. Pockson sings of love and unquestioning devotion. You think Oh Wonder or London Grammar. But dig deeper, and you find that Another River is actually describing a dysfunctional relationship where adoration is one-sided and the reciprocation is controlling almost to the point of abuse.
A narrative masterpiece that demonstrates how electronic music combined with a gorgeous soulful voice can create an Adele-like classic to rip your heart asunder.
