Delphic - Acolyte

Tue 23rd Feb, 2010 in Music Reviews

There’s the expectation that, at some point, this nu-rave/nu-eighties explosion is going to fizzle out. Even the masses of fluoro are (thankfully) far less prominent in store windows now. The only way to survive this inevitable trend evolution is to be innovative and creative. That’s what Delphic have set out to do, and that’s what they have managed to achieve with their debut album.

A trio comprising Rick Boardman, Matt Cocksedge and James Cook, Delphic began attracting attention in their hometown Manchester in late 2008 when they took their futuristic brand of indie-rave to the live stages. From there things happened quickly – they released a single on veteran techno label R&S (home to Aphex Twin and Derrick May), scored some noteworthy support slots with acts like Orbital and La Roux, then a meeting with in-demand producer Ewan Pearson led to the recording of Acolyte in his studio in Berlin.

Although there are obvious reference points (think New Order in the noughties, and a less guitar-driven Klaxons), Delphic refuse to be pigeonholed. Their sound has an eclecticism that allows for this ambiguity. Like M83 and Animal Collective, they share a fascination with rich sound pads and densely drenched chords. There’s also preoccupation with melody and journey seen in dance-music focused artists like Sasha – underlying the songs, there are driving beats and arpeggios that augment that progressive house sensibility. Delphic’s approach to music is to embrace its possibilities, whether it be through their fascination with melding music with film and art (see their video for forthcoming single Doubt for example) or trying new approaches such as using the guitar as a synthesiser (“guitar is dead – long live the guitar,” Boardman declares).

The first single, Counterpoint heads up some of the album’s most well composed and best-sounding tracks, including the bruising opener Clarion Call, the wonderfully uplifting and trance-like Red Lights, and the blissful and epic title track, which peaks in such a lush hands-in-the-air finish that its almost certainly going to become one of the album’s remix favourites.

There are still moments in the record that call into question just how blurred that line between alternative and mainstream really is. The use of sweeping chords and guitar riffs in Submission, or the sugary chorus harmonies and synth chords Doubt – all hallmarks of the ‘80s sound so many acts borrow from – seem almost unnecessary, though they certainly the record more accessible.

Such boldness could only come from a band who are this fresh and new – yet their approach shows a maturity beyond their young years. Acolyte is a superb effort, especially for a debut. As long as Delphic continue to be this creative, there’s no reason why they won’t continue this momentum.