Digitalism - Mirage (2016)

Tracklist:

1. Arena (3:01)
2. Battlecry (4:19)
3. Go Time (5:08)
4. Utopia (6:38)
5. Destination Breakdown (7:44)
6. Power Station (4:25)
7. Open Waters (4:54)
8. Mirage [Pt. One] (7:26)
9. Mirage [Pt. Two] (5:09)
10. Indigo Skies (4:14)
11. Dynamo (5:17)
12. The Ism (2:50)
13. Shangri-La (3:42)
14. No Cash (5:50)
15. Blink (5:44)

It's hard to believe that it's been over a decade since Digitalism broke through with their anthemic 'Zdarlight'. Nu-rave and dubstep came and (largely) went; hip-hop morphed into trap; and EDM made pop stars out of dance DJs. Back with their third album, 'Mirage' - some five years on from sophomore record 'I Love You, Dude' - the German duo have wisely resisted any vogues or trends. Instead, they present a record that takes their much-loved sound and opens it up to new permutations and possibilities. 'Mirage' sees Digitalism return in their most complete and coherent incarnation yet; the album spanning euphoric radio-friendly electronic pop and guttural dancefloor bangers with equal aplomb. Their songwriting craft has stepped up a notch too, their vocal tracks delivered with more conviction than ever and once again firmly placing them in a position as an act with big crossover potential. Dashes of disco, French touch, prog rock, rave and hip-hop are thrown into an eclectic sound palette that colours the album. From the full-power electro-indie of 'Battlecry' to the upbeat rock flavour of 'Go Time' and the euphoric melancholy of 'Utopia', their sensibility for storming riffs and melodies hasn't waned one bit. Then there's the scintillating epic 'Destination: Breakdown' and glitchy electro-rap 'Ism' showing yet more accomplished diversity. The two-part title track shows the evolution of their synth work in stunning fashion, beaming in inspiration from the greats like Vangelis and Tangerine Dream across a mesmerising twelve-and-a-half minute journey that makes for an impressive album centrepiece.