FRIENDLY FIRES – PALA

Slick-sounding, ultra-produced pop is what Pala, Friendly Fires’ second album seems on the surface. The Hertfordshire trio’s release is much more than that, though, and shouldn’t be dismissed as such. The structure and writing of both the music and lyrics is remarkable. Multiple layers of sound intertwining and yet through this busy-ness there is enough for the melodic themes and rhythmic stamp to be established on each track. Days after listening you can be found humming them around the house or have them on continual loop in your brain (but not in a Rebecca Black’s Friday way!). The core genres here are pop and dance but there’s plenty more musical flavours thrown into the cauldron. Funk, electronica, new wave and even indie elements are present. While the mixing pot that is Friendly Fires defies easy comparison, you can hear touches of 80s pop, think Duran Duran minus the hair, The Cure, or even Savage Garden. Some of the synthesizer sounds could also be compared to Daft Punk or the Chemical Brothers. Have a listen and decide for yourself.

***1/2