Thieves Like Us – Your Heart Feels (Seayou Records)
Barry Healy | Thursday, 28 May 2009
Thieves Like Us have released a new EP entitled 'Your Heart Feels' and it's filled with experimental vibes, minimalist electro grooves and good melodies. Additionally, a certain element of melancholy is ever present. The vocals are delivered in a stylish fashion, comparable to the early days of New Order's Bernard Sumner, which are insightful, simple and rhythmic yet never tacky or embarrassing. The New Order connection is unsurprising and doesn't end there - their band's name is after all, lent from a New Order track.
There is a real sense of cohesion on this EP from start to finish blowing like a fresh, cool autumn breeze, exemplified to perfection by opening and title track 'Your Heart Feels' with its simple minimalist electro synths and distortion complementing sweet, mellow and breezy lyrics. 'Fur Judith' is much in the same vein while introducing a spacey industrial element, full of swirling synths and bass line distortion. The already slow tempo takes a brief nose dive with 'The Moon In The Gutter', a song so laid back one would be forgiven if they happened venture to the land of nod while listening to it.
It finishes up nicely with 'Don't Take Your Hands Away', a simple melodious and minimalistic track with fits in well with the overall vibe of this release. There is definitely bags and bags of potential in these guys, and they should be ear marked for the future. There is little doubt they possess serious talent but what remains to be seen is whether they can deliver the same quality output with a full length album. Only time will tell on that particular question.
Rating: 3.5/5