Fenech Soler: Demons

One of the dancier nu rave bands, confidently concentrating on the “dance” in dance punk, pretentiously named Fenech-Soler are luckily anything but pretentious on their records. But although first single “Stop and Stare” was blissed out, emotional and a plane ride away from an Ibiza anthem, the melodramatic, hook-happy second single “Lies” was borderline irritating.

So it’s a relief to see the album’s dark highlight, “Demons”, pushed into the spotlight for their third promo and their first in the US. A comfortable middle ground between simplicity and bombast, “Demons” plays like a troubled Cut Copy, in the spirit of latter-day Bloc Party but without the overproduction; synths pulsate but never oppress, and singer Ben Duffy merely suggests a sing-along without sounding desperate (see “Lies”). Albeit by no means a classic in its genre, “Demons” showcases mature songwriting that suggests Fenech-Soler are no flash in the pan.