You couldn’t blame anyone for dreading another supposed rehash of a familiar synth-pop approach. Fortunately, however, local lads Strange Talk do much to ignite fire into the stale genre. Since exploding onto the scene into 2009, the band have tantalised many an audience with glimpses of their pop prowess. At last, their potential has been committed to disc, the results proving impressive indeed.
Strange Talk profess a fierce electro-pop defined by an efficiency in melody, their material immediately accessible as a result. Everything about the release appears sharp; from its glitzy, piercing synthesised production, to Stephen Docker’s pronounced delivery. Climbing Walls has been the favoured cut from the release and it’s easy to see why. With its concentrated start-stop stratagem, the spotlight is placed firmly upon a simplistic expression of angst: “I keep trying to run away but I stay standing,” Docker confesses. Its isolation is memorable and proves just one key hook in the band’s arsenal.
Eskimo Boy recreates the direct nature of their much-lauded single, with a pulsating dance vibe imposed upon the listener. It’s a case of another track, another resolute pop treat with serious staying power. Just two tracks in and Strange Talk have already demonstrated that they’re well poised to produce a true indie club anthem.
The second half of the EP offers a departure from previous efforts as the band flex their creative muscles. Is It Real? stampedes in comparison to its predecessors with a surging, synthesised intensity while the finale We Can Pretend excels in its likeable enough bass groove. This track is certainly the least strong of the four, particularly when Strange Talk’s approach begins to edge into formulaic territory. They can craft a mean pop song, but unfortunately, that old axiom of having too much of a good thing springs to mind.
Nevertheless, their swiftly engaging pop sensibilities really define that special ‘something’ to be found throughout their first foray. The effortless immediacy of it all is what makes it so difficult to refute, proving maybe there is room left for one more synth-pop act. Overall, this EP offers four exciting tracks and a valuable insight into Strange Talk’s wealth of potential. Considering that’s precisely what you would hope from any debut, the band have, for all intents and purposes, nailed it.
Best track: Is It Real?
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In A Word: Addictive
