Released: 21st June 2019
Rating: ★★★★
It’s easy to distinguish Two Door Cinema Club’s career into two eras. The blistering indie-kicking bursts that shined across their first two records were built on four-to-the-floor euphoric moments, blossoming into greater heights with second album ‘Beacon’. Yet the time they spent apart between that and third full-length ‘Gameshow’ and the resulting album process without a doubt changed things. That freedom to explore genre and styles in a manner not seen before was a refreshing jolt in the arm, and it’s in that second phase that ‘False Alarm’ stands as their most together and jubilant record to date. A sizzling punch of suave-pop done right, it finds Two Door Cinema Club throwing off any shackles left and dancing in the freedom they’ve carved for themselves.
As soon as ‘Once’ kicks in, it’s clear the sun is shining bright – and that knack to push every track to the boldest degree is a spirit that rings true from start to finish. The bubblegum pop of ‘Talk’, the outrageous guitar lines and euphoric handclaps of ‘So Many People’ and the almost Gorillaz-esque hip-hop bounces of ‘Break’ fully dive into every note, daring to go bigger and brighter whenever possible. ‘Gameshow’ and its more electronic flourishes are a clear-cut influence, inspiration breathing into technicolour with the scattering raw rip of ‘Dirty Air’ and ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’ jumping between Daft Punk, Depeche Mode and CHIC in equal measure. What’s astounding is how assured it all sounds together, roaring with the sort of confidence that means you simply can’t avoid from being sucked into every ridiculously joyful moment. Even when ‘Nice To See You’ pops with ideas and builds to a guest verse from rapper Open Mike Eagle and ‘Satellite’ spins to another orbit, the results are jaw-dropping.
If ‘Gameshow’ was the comeback, ‘False Alarm’ is the knockout crowning of a new champion. An album packed with more ideas across its ten tracks than many bands manage in an entire career, it’s the sound of Two Door Cinema Club at a whole new level of freedom. In turn, it’s the party of the year – and everyone’s invited.
Jamie Muir
