'The Bones of What You Believe' by CHVRCHES Album Review

CHVRCHES are a relatively new and unknown band. They are a synthpop group from Glasgow who formed in 2011. Lauren, Iain and Martin make up the group, and they all take turns singing even though Lauren is the lead vocalist. They've got a great sound that can be described as a mix of M83 and Ellie Goulding. If synthpop is your thing you really can't find a better band. They released their first EP back in March, and now their debut album The Bones of What You Believe is here, and it's been getting rave reviews, holding an 81 on Metacritic. I can tell you they're going places because this album is by far one of the best I have heard this year. It's almost as close to perfection as you can get.

The first song on the album is the band's debut single, 'The Mother We Share'. The song is great because it sets the tone for the album, a big and upbeat synthpop track with Lauren's vocals floating effortlessly over the song. It then moves to 'We Sink' where the tempo picks up, and we get a bit more urgency in the beat. There's a nice contrast between the chorus and the verses making for an up and down thrill ride. 'Gun' is the band's third single from the album, and it relies more on Lauren's vocals than the previous tracks. The beat backs off a bit in the beginning, except for the bright keyboard peeking through, but then things pick up and offer a whirlwind of sounds. It's definitely one of my favorite tracks. Next up is 'Tether' which is their new single being released this month. We finally get a break from the dizzying pace of the album with this one which is more subdued and very ethereal. Lauren's voice echoes and it has a slightly creepy twinge to it. It's a nice breather for the album, but the bridge of the track is euphoric with the twinkling beats coming in and pumping in the adrenaline.

'Lies' lets the production take center stage, overpowering the vocals and dominating the senses. We then move to 'Under the Table' where one of the men take over singing, offering a nice change. The song has a very space-y sound to it, the perfect soundtrack for a glam rock space opera. On 'Recover', Lauren is back and the song reminds me of M83's beats mixed with Ellie Goulding's voice. It's a very dramatic track with beautiful vocals, easily being one of my favorite tracks on the album because of its diversity. Up next we have 'Night Sky' which is definitely a filler track. It doesn't stand out, and is just kind of boring. 

'Science/Visions' is a sonic shift from the rest of the album. It's got some of the bizarre Björk elements to it meshed with '80s glam rock and some tribal chanting thrown in. It's an odd song, but because of that it's a standout. The next song, 'Lungs', is more of a Lily Allen kind of song with the cutesy sing-song sound that reminds me of Ke$ha's song 'Stephen' from Animal. It's a fun one until it has a sort of dubstep breakdown but not really. 'By the Throat' is a beautiful song which is really powerful lyrically. I am absolutely in love with the beat, simply getting lost in it. Another big standout. The final track on the album is 'You Caught the Light' and it slows things down a bit. It's a very sonic track where the vocals (provided by one of the men) aren't on display. It's a nice way to wind things down and bring an incredible album to a close.

Tracks to Check Out: 'Gun', 'Recover', 'Science/Visions', 'By the Throat'

Overall Rating: 9/10