The downside of having a hit single is the danger of it overshadowing your other work, and that almost happened to EMF when they scored a worldwide smash with ‘Unbelievable’ in 1990. Almost, but not quite, because these bunch of ‘erberts from the Forest Of Dean had plenty more aces up their sleeves and they’ve continued to brighten our world for almost 35 years (hiatus’ excepted). Following the good work of their recent Go Go Sapiens album, their latest long player, The Beauty And The Chaos finds the band doing what they do best; releasing a collection of 10 certified stompers.

There has always been a life-affirming nature to EMF’s sound, and it comes straight to the fore on opening track ‘Hello People’. In our current age of fragmentation and quarrel, it radiates good vibes and acts as a balm to soothe our troubled times. I’ve been thinking that there’s something missing from music of late, and ‘Hello People’ provides the answer; it’s sirens! This cut features plenty, they not only act as a wake up call, but add a touch of urgency to the band’s message and, of course, an air of excitement. There’s a lot to be said for bands who give their fans exactly what they want, and while certainly not generic, ‘Hello People’ sets indie rock to an irresistible disco beat, and suggests that this could easily be the second summer of love all over again. However, the following ‘Reach For The Lasers’ tells us that this isn’t no mere exercise in nostalgia, and it swings with an energy that places it firmly in the present. Yet, the themes the band explore; hope, love, unity are timeless and (hopefully) will never go out of fashion.

It seems that the album as an art form is making a comeback, and The Beauty And The Chaos flows like an old school record and, while it is perfectly feasible to dip in and out, it is best consumed in one sitting to fully appreciate its flow. It’s the type of album which sweeps you along, and after the hedonistic highs of the first few tracks things take a slightly darker turn as the record progresses. With a heavy riff befitting heavy lyricism, ‘Read The Room’ throws its considerable weight around while ‘I’ve Been Down’ continues in a similar fashion and proves the band are not all light, there’s plenty of shade to balance things out, but perceptive listeners will notice a definite shift towards the dark side as the album continues. Yet, there’s always those infectious (and I mean super strain contagious) beats that make songs such as ‘The Day The Music Died’ so appealing.

It’s the unique fusion of organic and electronic instrumentation that EMF do well, it’s an admixture that seems to alter the very fabric of time on final cut ‘Do It Again’, and as the track fades into the ether it leaves a touch of sadness that the album is coming to a conclusion, but let’s hope that EMF will, indeed, do it again…

• The Beauty And The Chaos is released via EMF Records on 26th January 2024.
• Official Website

Track List:

1. Hello People
2. Reach For The Lasers
3. 21st Century
4. Read The Room
5. I’ve Been Down
6. The Day The Music Died
7. Stardust
8. Lookout Mountain
9. Red Flags’
10. Do It Again