Black Soul Strangers - the next big thing? The consensus here at Safeconcerts is that we all love this album

Refreshingly straight to the indie rock point, Dublin’s excellently-named Black Soul Strangers wear their hearts on their sleeve throughout ‘Animate’ – their genuinely uplifting debut album.

An atmospheric intro to the opening track -‘Panic Sets Direction’ – belies the mood and is soon overtaken by chainsaw guitar riffs and pounding drums. Press references to Placebo are fair enough but BSS should not be categorised so casually even though the jagged vocals on the bands’ first single ‘Lies’, has a distinctly Molkoesque quality.

‘Lies’, a cracking track that grows with every listen, is followed by the brooding follow-up single entitled  ‘The Haunting’. A lush production courtesy of Tom McFall, (Snow Patrol, Bloc Party & Editors) creates an almost psychedelic ambience enabling the vocals to truly soar giving the album a polished panache throughout.

‘Leave’ is a definite potential single that is joyously propelled by timeless synth harmonies layered alongside a restrained bass & drum backline that gathers momentum like a runaway freight train. ‘Monster’ meanders through edgy guitar rhythms and almost tribal drums reminding me of the massively underrated Manchester indie-Gods, The Chameleons. The trippy ‘Trista’ is vintage Velvet Underground circa ‘Sunday Morning’ and this is only intended as a compliment.

‘Gallows’ screams indie anthem as guitars and drums collide in a stop/start frenzy, but it is the vocals and lyrics that captivate. Similar themes predominate on ‘Witchit’a while ‘You Don’t Need It’ echo’s early Cure with a spiky guitar and relentless vocal line that really does sound like Robert Smith at times. Subdued and moody at first,’ Harp’ accelerates into a dreamy cacophony that reaches an almost Sigur-Rose-like crescendo to close this stunning album.

Dublin’s  Black Soul Strangers have produced a mesmerising collection of songs that justify the Radio 1/ NME hype which will no doubt only intensify before ‘Animate’ is released in July. OK, the influences are obvious, but BSS have created a big sound that is very much their own.  Exhilarating and surprising in equal measure, ‘Animate’ will find favour with the ‘White Lies’ crowd, but much like their London counterparts, one suspects BSS have yet more in their locker.

Black Soul Strangers have created a big sound that is very much their own