Muse and Temples have released new albums, with Muse earning four stars for their cosmic concept record The WOW! Signal, while Temples channel 1990s rave energy on Bliss, earning three stars.
Muse's The WOW! Signal: A Cosmic Epic
Muse's latest album, The WOW! Signal, is inspired by a 1977 radio transmission that might have been extraterrestrial. The band explores themes of cosmic mystery, existential hope, and the possibility of contact with something greater than humanity. The music is described as out of this world.
The album opens with galloping track The Dark Forest, an overblown melange of ABBA, Bollywood, and the Doctor Who theme tune. Nightshift Super delivers Justice-style French Touch riffs, showcasing the band's increased exploration of electronics. Shimmering Scars is one of frontman Matt Bellamy's most beautiful and explosive power ballads.
Maths rock fans will enjoy Hexagons, described as AC/DC for aliens. Ellie Goulding appears on the Eastern European-flavoured dirge Hush. The album also features moments where Muse return to their power rock trio roots, as on Cryogen, while other tracks throw in the kitchen sink. According to the review, it is all Wow.
Temples' Bliss: A 90s Rave Revival
Temples' new LP Bliss attempts to capture the blissed-out energy of forward-thinking electronic acts like Faithless and Underworld. The album uses old samplers to create a collage-like sound.
Glammy track Jet Stream Heart features lyrics championing 'drinking on the beach with a camera in hand'. The euphoric comedown anthem Vendetta brings everything together perfectly. Blue Flame is tailor-made for Ibizan sunsets, while Revelations dares to dip into Enigma territory with Gregorian chant, an aspect of the 1990s the reviewer suggests may not have needed revisiting.
The Daily Star rates The WOW! Signal four stars and Bliss three stars.
