Review: Last Days of 1984 - Wake Up The Waves

Dublin dance duo Last Days of 1984 have created a Neapolitan mix of hands in the air Electronica and gentle blissed up Indie comedowns, on their 7 track debut album 'Wake Up The Waves'. Brian Rice and Darren Moloney create lush joyous soundscapes which echo Brian Eno and Can whilst simultaneously embracing the instantaneousness of '90s dance and '80s guitar synth pop bands. The influence of world cinema also peppers the album throughout.

Opening track Francois Truffaut- Event Sociologique's title refers to actor, director, and French new wave cinema forefather Francois Truffaut. Director of Fahrenheit 451, best know as an actor for his role in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. It's hardly standard fare for inspiring electro hooks, but Last Days Of 1984 do it with ease. In a seven minute plus opus of heady electro groves and afro-beat drums blended with calypso guitar lines. River's Edge was an obvious single choice it's less intense than the albums opener, but just as potent. Driven by a 1-2-3 bass line-it's a rhythm figure which the band deploy with great skill throughout the album-its light and airy verses build through a memorable chorus and instrumental sections. Delivering a nice slice of radio friendly electro.

Low-Fi reverb drenched guitar ballad Safari takes things done a notch offering light relief from the electro beats Safari has a blissed out '60s feel and proves without a doubt that Last Days of 1984's vocal prowess is equal to their musicianship. Kismat, meaning destiny or faith in Hindi puts the band in more familiar territory on this instrumental electro track. Season has the feel of a Doves song being remixed by a major dance act like Underworld. An excellent fusion of Last days of 1984's two principle styles as blissed out indie guitars and vocals merge with uplifting synth thrills and afro drums. This unique fusion of styles continues on the remaining tracks of the album. Standout track and probable single Wave Life displays hints of Talk Talk and the flippy floppy guitar lines of Talking Heads combined with more uplifting world music percussion and throaty synth motifs which make for one of the albums most memorable tracks.

Woods finishes the album on a foot stomping high with an impressive mix of jaunty synth pop mixed with some powerful Gary Numan-esque synth stabs. Add to this a singalong chorus and it all combines to create one of the best indie electro tracks ever produced in Ireland. With a debut of this quality Last Days of 1984 have secured a place at the top table of Irish Indie-Electro and laid down a marker for the other bands to follow.