Album Review: Two Door Cinema Club - 'Keep On Smiling'
Two Door Cinema Club have crafted a beautifully rich kaleidoscope of indie pop perfection with their latest release, Keep On Smiling. With powerful beats, playful hooks and scintillating melodies, the trio’s fifth studio album manages to maintain the band’s signature sound, whilst still providing us with something fresh.
The group, who hail from Bangor, shot to fame with their debut album Tourist History, with tracks such as Undercover Martyn becoming instant indie classics. With their fifth release, there was always the risk that the trio would play it too safe – but they’ve got it just right, fusing elements of their older work with newer, experimental sounds, which are sure to please both fans and casual listeners alike.
The album opens with the mysterious, brooding Messenger AD, with sparkling synths shaping the piece into an atmospheric introductory tune that would feel at home on the soundtrack of a Sci-Fi dystopian thriller. Mirroring the later track Messenger HD, Two Door Cinema Club has constructed a beautifully cohesive, rich sound throughout the album, with a cinematic touch – indeed, every song conjures gorgeously vivid and complex imagery.
The second track of the project, Blue Light, is undoubtedly a highlight. Jaunty guitar riffs are carefully sprinkled throughout, with the track becoming almost overwhelming at times. Nonetheless, the band manage to walk the tightrope between order and chaos perfectly, with the instrumental being stripped back at just the right time to supply a soft, muted outro.
Moving on to Everybody’s Cool, velvety vocals are laced over a groovy guitar melody. The track is smooth and slick and is made for house parties. The band go for an idiosyncratic stylistic choice when it comes to including spoken dialogue interlaced with the vocals, and this experimentation vocally continues on the gloriously melodramatic Millionaire.
The tune, which starts with a spoken word introduction, designs a beautifully hazy, indie funk soundscape. Millionaire perfectly encapsulates the essence of this album – it provides music to make the everyday monotony of life feel like a movie. When listening to the track, no matter what menial task you’re doing, you become the star of your own show.
The unique vocal production continues with Won’t Do Nothing and Disappearer, which both include vocal distortion. The latter, in particular, features driven, seductive tones and the sultry nature of the track is complimented by the polished guitar riffs.
The two singles from the album, Lucky and Wonderful Life, are both high points of the album. Lucky, which features crisp bass lines and silky synths, provides some ruminative lyricism, with the band reflecting on how fast everything changes, particularly in today’s society.
Wonderful Life, the first single released from the project, is a boppy, indie dance anthem, with fuzzy vocals that combine with a spellbinding instrumental to craft an intense track – it’s clear when listening why this piece was chosen to release as a single, as it provides a slice of pop perfection and a superb sample of Two Door Cinema Club’s work.
Little Piggy is an instant earworm, with gutsy guitar strums intertwining with soaring vocals to develop a tune that will remain new and invigorating with every listen. Feeling Strange echoes this, with alien-like synths creating a summery, electro-funk tune that again leans into the Sci-Fi soundscape that emerges in some of the other tracks.
But not all of the tracks are upbeat, dance numbers. High has a dreamy introduction, with introspective lyricism showcased by dulcet vocals. The track is the slowest-paced on the album, but this is a welcome change and it would be interesting to see the band explore more with this style.
The group are going from strength to strength, with knock-out performances at major music festivals such as Down The Rabbit Hole and Benicassim this summer, and a European and North American tour commencing on September 28th in Paris. On the whole, it’s clear that Two Door Cinema Club know exactly what they’re doing – and they know they’re good at it too. Their ability to keep their signature sound fresh and exciting is admirable, and if you’re not already a fan of the band – you will be after listening to Keep On Smiling.
Words by Tabitha Wilson
