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‘Hotly anticipated’ does not really do justice to the level of excitement
the release of Reptile Youth’s debut album is generating among fans
and critics alike. Those in the know are expecting the Danish duo to deliver
a defi ning moment of 2012 - injecting their off kilter brand of highlycharged
electro-punk-pop into the world’s consciousness - and Reptile
Youth aren’t in the business of disappointing.
Reptile Youth was formed by Mads Damsgaard Kristiansen and Esben
Valløe in 2009. It was their intense period of gigging through Asia and Europe
that earned Reptile Youth their radically evangelical fan base, while
also prompting a string of superlative-laden reviews hailing the Youth as
the saviors of rock n’ roll. Hype aside, the incredible energy generated
by Kristiansen and Valløe and their extended live line up have made the
arrival of this debut album a red letter day for their clued up followers.
After having been picked up by infl uential hfn music and recently signed
to legendary livebooking agencies ITB for Europe and ICM in the US, the
band is now ready to take on the world.
Danish producer Kasper Bjørke, who acts as the band’s co-manager,
declares: “The album captures exactly that same madness and dynamics
that the band master on stage and that was exactly what we were
aiming for all along”.
Amen to that. Produced in London with star producers Dave M. Allen
(The Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Human League) and Mark Ralph (Filthy
Dukes, Hot Chip) this is a collection of tracks to reset the musical dial.
Having already laid out their agenda with the turbo-charged electro pop
perfection of ‘Speeddance’ and the grandiose ‘Black Swan Born White’
(both released as singles on hfn this year), the rest of the record makes
good on their exceptional promise.
Second single ‘Black Swan Born White’ kicks off the journey – as epic
a statement of post punk vitality as you could hope for. A devastating
track built on Mads Damsgaard’s soaring vocal and sparkling new wave
rhythm courtesy of Ebsen Valløe.
What’s clear through-out the album is the total confi dence with which
Reptile Youth operate – this is a highly assured debut with an acute ear
for melody. This is instantly evident on ‘Morning Sun’ – a delicious slice
of pure aural bliss in just over 3 minutes, every much as optimistic as its
title. ‘Dead End’ follows next, switching up the vibe – hard and sharp riffs,
thunderous drums and portentous vocals – a biblical electro-rock jam.
‘Speeddance’s’ primal bounce will be well known to most listeners by
now - the devastating debut single that announced Reptile Youth’s arrival
early this year. ‘Be My Yoko Ono’, comes up next, a hand-in-hand speed
rush through the city, featuring a call and response duet with the vocalist
of the Danish female band Nelson Can. ‘A Flash in the Forest’ sees Mads
in a refl ective mood, coming across like a 21st century Ray Davies - A
beautifully produced track with an instantly classic backing vocal hook.
It’s hard to pick stand out tracks on such an assured album, but ‘Shooting
up Sunshine’ has to be a strong contender. A chiming piano hook
introduces this 3 and a half minute gem – containing the turbo-powered
euphoric pop that Reptile Youth are clearly making their own. This is the
soundtrack to a million great nights and the perfect days that follow.
One of the rockiest moments on the ablum, ‘Heart Blood Beat’ fi res along
at a breakneck pace, a surefi re live favorite with a fi lthy synth line destined
to loosen a few hips around the world. The penultimate track, ‘It’s
Easy To Lose Yourself’ mixes up a sweet melody and arrangement with
memorable lyrics, before the album rounds out with the longest track on
the release – ‘Fear.’ It’s a rousing, epic, driving closure to an album that
will surely fi nd Reptile Youth exploding across the musical landscape this
year. Big things await.
Tracklist:
01. Black Swan Born White
02. Morning Sun
03. Dead End
04. Speeddance
05. By My Yoko Ono
06. A Flash In The Forest
07. Shooting Up Sunshine
08. It’s Easy To Lose Yourself
09. Heart Blood Beat
10. Fear