Miami Horror -Illumination

Thu 2nd Sep, 2010 in Music Reviews

Producing a string of international hits without releasing an album in the space of four years isn’t the norm for most artists. But Melbourne’s electro four-piece Miami Horror aren’t your average musicians playing by the rules.

Illumination, the highly anticipated debut album, incessantly pushes the envelope of electro territory. The boys are now rocking guitars and have mastered the art of seamlessly blending both acoustic and electric guitars with looping bass lines, horns and synths; elements which seldom work well together for most artists. Yet this ability to play an assortment of live instruments has made a colossal change to the band’s direction and Horror deserve a star for doing so.

Infinite Canyons opens with a cosmic shade of down-tempo chillwave that’s totally different and unexpected when compared to previously heard upbeat, festival-ready singles, Sometimes and Moon Theory. To no dismay, Illumination abounds with plenty more of these danceable anthems.

The shiny feel good Summersun sets a party ambience ready to infect summer airwaves with its bass-thumping groove. Although tracks such as punchy Grand Illusion and Soft Light are more experimental with psychedelic haze, they too will get anyone up on their feet for some boogie.

What’s more impressive than Horror gaining global attention for their infectious and pioneering sound is the fact they actually managed to score some international collaborators on board. France’s Mai dropped vocals on the dreamy Echoplex while Neon Indian mastermind Alan Polomo strutted his touch-and-turn-to-gold magic on Ultraviolet, Soft Light and Holidays. Look to You, the album’s lucrative French house influenced third single, brings us closer to home with the addition of Melbourne vocalist, Kimbra.

The bonus disk also boasts neat remixes from some of the best international and local circuit including Baby Monster, YACHT, Hook N Sling and Fred Falke to name a few.

As a whole, the album touches on a sundry of genres from retro-disco pop to psychedelic, sunshine electro and savvy house to create a fuller and melodious seventies sound. At times there are a few eighties influenced moments thrown into the mix which is evident in Holidays’ glam synths.

Despite sounding incredibly polished, the album was engineered and produced in typical Plant fashion that is his warm and fuzzy Melbourne bedroom studio. And this crisp spin on Horror’s versatile sound possesses enough dynamic to enjoy at home or on the road; as opposed to solely pumping in the electronic club scene.

Illumination has set a new standard for music that should be coming out of our little island down under. So treat your ears to some melodious electro and good ol’ Aussie disco. Ah-mazing!