Happily "Head First" is a good album that dispenses with the artistic statements and concentrates on delivering eighties tinged synth pop.
The first single from this album, "Rocket" seemed to be everywhere back in 2010 and its infectious melody and sing along lyrics were perfect. There is a Richard X remix of this track that is also fantastic. This is a seriously catchy song.
Two more singles follow in the form of "Believer" and "Alive" which remain in the upbeat retro style of the opening - all be it with guitar smeared across the latter. "Dreaming" almost sounds like peak Giorgio Moroder with its seventies tubular bells and pulsing synth lines. The title track is an upbeat affair that has a good dollop of ABBA (don't let that put you off), a sprinkle of ELO and a touch of Erasure: a more heady mix you could not ask for.
When you're confronted with an album full of shiny pop songs, you need something to offer respite and contrast. This is why I like "Hunt" as it builds an atmosphere without being over complicated (and it uses synth toms, so what's not to like). "Shiny and Warm" falls back into the seventies tinged sound of the "Supernature" album with predictably mediocre results. "I Wanna Life" is essentially a rehash of "Rocket" and "Voicething" is the kind of self indulgent rubbish that proliferated on the previous album. I'd summarise this album as having a very good start before a disappointing ending. 3/5
