Having stumbled-upon them way back in early 2010 we fell in love with their self-titled début EP, after that came the album that changed the face of Electronic music once again. But now it's changed once again, you would've thought that Fenech-Soler's best effort would be their début, considering how amazing it was when it came out - wrong - "Rituals" has once again proved to us that a band's second album can be better than the first. They're not worried about making music for their fans, rather making music they want to, it just so happens everyone loves it!
The album kicks off where the band left off, "Youth" has a real 2011 feel about it, it sounds like the bigger brother to "Demons", with catchy synth beats and lyrics you can really lose yourself in this track. "All I Know", "Last Forever" and "Magnetic" are the songs that are going to be at the forefront of the album promotion, but the album is more than just those three singles. The best songs are hidden within it's belly. "In Our Blood" just shows us what it's all about, euphoric melodies and punchy beats drive this song forwards, "Let's get lost in the dark" - Ben shouts out, a club song for the hipsters among you!
"Ritual I" and "Ritual II" are both songs that are interludes leading into "Last Forever" and "Glow" respectively, they've used their time well with these tracks breaking down the album into something you can enjoy and go back to whenever you want without ever getting tired of it. "Somebody" (see the bottom of the review) is by far my favourite track on the album. Big beats, Ben's vocals at its peak, catchy lyrics and a real summer song that I found myself dancing to a lot when I saw them at Glastonbury and Reading festival. On both occasions everyone in the tent got up and started to bounce, what's more is that this was the first time they've laid ears upon the track. Really just shows that the band can easily click with their fans from the first beat.
"Fading" and "Miayu" are next up - the album takes a slower approach for the next eight minutes or so, "Fading" is a ballard for the 21st century and "Miayu" once again shows the slower side of the band with calming chimes and chirping going on in the background, with the ethereal song giving you a lasting impression.
Before the last track of the album comes we hear the stunning "Two Cities", which is a track that goes a bit in time, some guitars are heard here with the ever present 'Fenech-Soler' sound of Ben's vocals and bass brining the track to life. "Glow" marks the end of the album which stands out in its own right, for the long-term fans of the band this is a real treat, it gives you a taste of what they were like before the limelight it them, big bass in the verses, rising vocals and delicate synths and keys caressing the drums.
By the end of the album you would've realised that Fenech-Soler are a band that have their heads in the right place. Steadily building up their fan-base from day one, generating the hype all on their own with festival appearances, a glorious début album and (most importantly) having a stunning second album that they teased us all with over the summer, this is a album the whole world can admire. "Rituals" feels like they've taken a huge step but not forgetting where they came from. This is easily an "Album of the year". I can't praise them any more, just buy the album and tell me I'm right!
Fenech-Soler - Rituals
Out of 10: 9.5/10
The album kicks off where the band left off, "Youth" has a real 2011 feel about it, it sounds like the bigger brother to "Demons", with catchy synth beats and lyrics you can really lose yourself in this track. "All I Know", "Last Forever" and "Magnetic" are the songs that are going to be at the forefront of the album promotion, but the album is more than just those three singles. The best songs are hidden within it's belly. "In Our Blood" just shows us what it's all about, euphoric melodies and punchy beats drive this song forwards, "Let's get lost in the dark" - Ben shouts out, a club song for the hipsters among you!
"Ritual I" and "Ritual II" are both songs that are interludes leading into "Last Forever" and "Glow" respectively, they've used their time well with these tracks breaking down the album into something you can enjoy and go back to whenever you want without ever getting tired of it. "Somebody" (see the bottom of the review) is by far my favourite track on the album. Big beats, Ben's vocals at its peak, catchy lyrics and a real summer song that I found myself dancing to a lot when I saw them at Glastonbury and Reading festival. On both occasions everyone in the tent got up and started to bounce, what's more is that this was the first time they've laid ears upon the track. Really just shows that the band can easily click with their fans from the first beat.
"Fading" and "Miayu" are next up - the album takes a slower approach for the next eight minutes or so, "Fading" is a ballard for the 21st century and "Miayu" once again shows the slower side of the band with calming chimes and chirping going on in the background, with the ethereal song giving you a lasting impression.
Before the last track of the album comes we hear the stunning "Two Cities", which is a track that goes a bit in time, some guitars are heard here with the ever present 'Fenech-Soler' sound of Ben's vocals and bass brining the track to life. "Glow" marks the end of the album which stands out in its own right, for the long-term fans of the band this is a real treat, it gives you a taste of what they were like before the limelight it them, big bass in the verses, rising vocals and delicate synths and keys caressing the drums.
By the end of the album you would've realised that Fenech-Soler are a band that have their heads in the right place. Steadily building up their fan-base from day one, generating the hype all on their own with festival appearances, a glorious début album and (most importantly) having a stunning second album that they teased us all with over the summer, this is a album the whole world can admire. "Rituals" feels like they've taken a huge step but not forgetting where they came from. This is easily an "Album of the year". I can't praise them any more, just buy the album and tell me I'm right!
Fenech-Soler - Rituals
Out of 10: 9.5/10