Clor

England’s Clor seem to be having a lot of fun on this debut release. With a base of electro pop synths, drum machines and vocals reminiscent of Gary Numan, there is a heavy leaning towards new wave revivalism here, but there is a lot more to Clor than that. There are guitar-lead pop hooks everywhere, and the songs have a solid drive and real sense of purpose. On "Gifted” they can show their quiet side, letting a soft guitar and Barry Dobbin’s delicate voice do all the work. But Clor are at their best when things get bouncing, and "Love + Pain” (produced by Alan Moulder) shows this off to the fullest. Complex rhythms and song structures abound on tracks like "Stuck in a Tight Spot,” which, at times, borders on showing off. Then "Dangerzone” strips everything back to the electronic backbone, and "Magic Touch” seems to channel Prince in its dirtiness. A diverse sounding album that doesn’t let up, Clor have a unique style that borders on kitschy, but has plenty of integrity and skill to keep it all legit.