poppedmusic

Anteros – When We Land

Words by Gary Lambert

Now this is an album I have waited quite some time to listen to. In fact, ever since I heard Drunk for the first time, I’ve loved Anteros – and especially loved that song. It was with considerable disappointment that I saw Drunk had been left on the cutting room floor so to speak when I looked down the list of tracks that make up When We Land. After listening to the album as a complete piece of music, the brash and abrasive early release would not have fit in it. Instead we get an Anteros which is more sophisticated and nuanced.

If you want a touchstone to decide whether When We Land is the kind of album that will tickle your musical tastebuds, imagine Hot Fuss era The Killers fronted by Alison Goldfrapp or on tracks like Ordinary Girl Lady Gaga. Strangely the other artist this album makes me think of is Happy Mondays. Don’t get me wrong, Laura’s soft and inviting vocal bears zero resemblance with Shaun Ryder’s inimitable yelp in the slightest, but the manner in which the band have managed to mix the sounds of a traditional guitar band setup with floor filling dance numbers makes me think of Bummed and Pills, Thrills and Bellyaches.

When We Land is probably not the kind of album that you are going to stick on to have a glass of red wine as you lie on the couch. It is not for savouring. It is for dancing with. There is energy being emitted from the speakers straight to your heartbeat. It is the kind of record you will stick on when you’re deciding what to wear for a night out on the pull, or for a summer’s barbecue when the rain has sent you indoors and you want to start throwing shapes in the living room.

Whilst the eleven tracks do work as a complete piece of art, Anteros have the potential for being one of the great British singles bands too. Take the fuzz and effect laden Afterglow, now there is a song which seems to be written to become part of the hive consciousness of the nation. It is powerful, gritty, lavish and can get an indie disco dance floor bouncing whilst at the same time get a concert crowd crowing along.

I think When We Land could see Anteros having to spend a lot more time overseas as this is music for sunshine and warmth. This is a truly global sounding album. In fact, if I hadn’t followed the career of Anteros with Popped Music, I would have guessed that this was an album recorded by an American or Australian act who have first had success in Britain rather than their home country.

Listen to this album as soon as you can as I’m certain that it is inevitable that you listen to it soon enough.