Years & Years – Communion
Polydor Recordings
Years and Years is a pop/electronic trio from London. Their recent single Shine reached number two on the UK charts, while the one before that, King, was number one, both found on their newest album Communion. The deluxe edition is a massive 18 tracks. Influenced by famous artists like Flying Lotus, Radiohead, and Diplo, their genre is a blend of R&B, house, and electropop.
The LP starts with the soft reverb of Olly Alexander’s voice, “Theirs a scratch on your shoulder. Crushes me like, crushes me like that. And I want to get older. All the things I want, I really shouldn’t get.” A whining like sound comes in and out and halfway through as it begins to build with quickened techno keys, culminating in a louder demeanor all sans percussions. Shine has sample club beats with some cymbals and boy bandish “ooo’s”. The classic 90’s electropop shows. The lyrics might address the passion felt while performing, and the hesitation in the uncertainty of succeeding. “I remember us alone, waiting for the light to go. Don’t you feel that hunger, I’ve got so many secrets to show. When I saw you on that stage, I shivered at the look you gave.” Take Shelter and Worship resemble the R&B aspect of their compositions; it’s faster paced with stronger beats. Their are clear themes of fame and the potential alienation, as shown again in Ties. It opens with twangy techno sounds, “Are you having fun. I tell you I’ve got my secrets too. I go hunting for someone like you… Oh tell me how did it feel. Did it all get too real for you, everybody screaming out your name.” The rest of the songs follow a similar pattern of starry eyed dance electro.
Communion is an interesting venture that’s a throwback to the 90’s. Most of the songs talk about craving for something or having that craving fulfilled only to realize it’s not what it seems. As a whole, the album is entertaining but a lot of it feels recycled, whether it’s from another time, or from the other tracks themselves. The tracks are perfect dance floor music safe for almost any setting.