South Londoner’s Mystery Jets are back with their fifth album, their first since Radlands back in 2012. Curve Of The Earth sees the addition of bassist Jack Flanagan (replacing Kai Fish) who brings a noticeable groove. The nine-track LP sees a big leap in sound, the indie pop singles about ‘Young Love’ are gone, long psychedelic songs are in. Lyrically the band takes on broad and intense range of subjects, tackling everything from DNA to outer-space. It feels like the band have made a big effort on this record to take themselves into unchartered territory
Opener Telomere is anthemic, the riff that plays throughout has a noticeable electronic tone that sounds like something from an early Foals record. When the chorus kicks in it’s like White Lies ‘Bigger Than Us’ and you’re torn between wanting to cry and having an ear-to-ear grin. Vocally Blaine Harrison brings a high-pitched emotive performance that feels distinctly honest.
Bombay Blue begins acoustically until an electric guitar comes in for the chorus, when matched with Blaine’s high pitched vocals it creates this Tame Impala like flurry of psychedelic dreaminess. Bubblegum again opens acoustically but really it hits it mark around the three-minute mark, strange space-like electro sounds stir and the song fires straight back into a huge second chorus.
Midnight’s Mirror opens with a sample from the movie Naked “Resolve is never stronger than in the morning after the night it was never weaker”. Whilst a five second sample isn’t by any means breaking new ground, it adds a new layer to the record and fits well on one that’s very aware of both emotion and society. The track grooves with a slinking bass and percussion before Blaine croons “Emerging from the aftershow with eyes like pissholes in the snow, midnight’s mirror has revealed what the morning keeps concealed”. It’s a sinister, aggressive track that bites and feels retrospective from a band very much moving forward. 1985 also begins in a slightly alternative way with the clatter of plates fading into a piano ballad. It’s one of the slower songs on the record however it doesn’t derail the pace. When the guitars kick in it’s a moment of pure ethereal beauty.
Blood Red Balloon channels Pink Floyd with the bass at the introduction and the slightly distorted vocals sounding massively influenced by ‘Wish You Were Here’. As the track progresses Blaine’s soft vocals couple with synths and guitars. Will Rees guitar playing brings some of the highlights of the album. Where the album could have fallen into a trap of being a little sombre, he brings some mammoth sounds that really carry this record into being the epic it is.
Final track The End Up feels like a perfect bookmark, it’s reflective and sees Blaine singing “The one that you love might not be the one with you who end up”. It doesn’t feel like the band are looking back with sadness, Will said “We’ve been through quite a lot in the last couple of years..” but this album closer feels optimistic despite everything.
Talking about the best record of the year in January is admittedly a little optimistic but Curve Of The Earth will no doubt be a contender. Mystery Jets have created an album that is emotive, honest, psychedelic in parts and full of passion throughout.
-Jack Winstanley
Setlisted 