Compute – This

Reminds Me Of You is a twiddly bit of icy electro pop, and a gentle way to ease yourself into the first Compute full length, This. All The Things I Swore I’d Never Be is whip crack smart, part industrial light era Depeche Mode, part dramatic eighties girl singer pop. Rushing, Slowing Down is wonderful spook pop, the thwacking electronic beat and rumble coupled with a Hazel O’Connor shriek. All Walk By has elements of the electro Altered Images of early Compute, but with a glacial sweeping landscaping, while A Matter Of Patience threatens to start off like a computer game soundtrack, before embarking on a gorgeous melody reminiscent of one of OMD’s big brash hits. Between all this, the tune hurtles along, like a headrush in an ecstatic discotheque. Over And Over uses a minimal tune to bring the heartbreak; there are beeps of life support, twinkles of light, but mainly a dark despair. Its one that offsets the upbeat nature of the rest of the album well. Words has what can be described as an electro reggae beat. It’s rather beautiful, but a little lacking in substance and doesn’t really get going. More of a feeling than a song, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Better Ways starts like a broken ice cream van tune, before gliding effortlessly into a beauteous study of icy cool. It’s like the Pet Shop Boys cooler female sibling, who’s been inspired by them and come up with a wonderful end product. The Dream closes proceedings with a mysterious tune and an over excited vocal, words spilling from her mouth at ten to the dozen and sounding like a wondrous Bjork. It’s a lovely way to end such a good album.

This is out now on Distortion Girl Recordings and is available to purchase from the Compute myspace