Released:
Rating:
A soundtrack that captures a timeless feeling.
Label: PIAS
Released: 3rd February 2017
Rating: ★★★★
If ‘Hit The Light’ is Ten Fe’s opening salvo to the world, then we could be set for a stunning ride. Packed with unparalleled flourishes, glorious highs and enough catchy grooves to get anyone up and off their feet, it’s a soundscape mixture that has you right from the get-go and won’t let up until you’ve lived through the journey they have in store. Tinged with vulnerable darkness at every turn, what Ten Fe do best is flip that into the sort of blossoming finale that can soundtrack any moment of life, lead by the rhythmic charms of LCD Soundsystem yet shimmering with the hidden dramatic depths of Hurts in full flight.
It hits in opener ‘Overflow’, a puzzle that opens up more if its charm as each second passes, or in ‘Twist Your Arm’ with its Depeche Mode breakdown bringing out a Dave Gahan-esque figure to the forefront, combining artistic shadows and powerful hits into one potent hit. That sort of ambition is a cornerstone of ‘Hit The Floor’, a record that takes in anthem-sized choruses and heady pop hooks yet allows room and space to appreciate every drop of paint in their stunning world. ‘Another Way’, ‘In The Air’ and ‘Follow’ could make themselves at home in any arena around the world, and surge with a wisdom far beyond the years of Ten Fe’s short existence so far – and even when the scorching twists of ‘Don’t Forget’ bend into distorted shape, it’s done with an effortless ease that grips you to head with it.
Finding warmth and light even in the darkest of moments, ‘Hit The Light’ is a celebration of making it through and for that, it should be raised up as one of the richest albums of the year. This isn’t just a debut album, but a soundtrack that captures a timeless feeling. Jamie Muir
