Primary Colours

From BlackPlasticI have no real time for the Horrors’ debut album, but this sophomore release is where things got interesting. This charts the beginning of a journey that has seen them seemingly fully leave behind not just their initial goth leanings, but any pretence of even being a rock band. Primary Colours is just a step on that journey, however. It sees them embrace Krautrock, with elements of Neu! And Can. They later went on to channel Simple Minds, and ultimately Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer on the rave-y, ecstasy-fuelled I See You… the latter is unlikely to feature in this club, because it’s an example of a single that so boldly outshines its album that I can’t ever really see beyond it. Here on Primary Colours, however, we get something subtler, and I would argue it is the band’s artistic peak, though not their most accessible work. Ready yourself for warm analogue sounding synths, Joy Division-esque Hooky bass lines and scratchy guitar bliss. Album closer Sea Within a Sea remains one of those songs that still, well over fifteen years later, blows my mind… it’s eight-minutes of crystal-like beauty. Wait for the synth drop.