Having guzzled up the synths, pop hooks and faceless vocals of 80s Britain, nearly thirty years later Brooklyn has regurgitated Class Actress. Elizabeth Harper has unleashed an album of subtle beats and powerful choruses with her debut ‘Rapprocher’, one of many new artists looking back into pop history for inspiration.
‘Love Me Like You Used To’ is a catchy siren song which could easily be a dancefloor filler if Class Actress had the fame which her accessible pop should attract. Twirling synths compliment Harper as she repeats the title, a tactic again used to great effect in ‘Weekend’. ‘Prove Me Wrong’ continues the funk and groove of the album as does ‘Need To Know’ and it is around this point in the album that everything becomes distinctly clear. All the songs are very similar and vaguely average. ‘Limousine’ brings more attention to itself with some swooping vocals that seem a bit more interested. But after that the songs begin to blur into one another and listening begins to lose any of the enjoyment gained from the start of the record.
Sure ‘Rapprocher’ is an enjoyable album to dance around to, but it cannot reach the dizzying heights of 80s pop which it obviously aims for, and can barely keep up with contemporaries such as Robyn and Metronomy. A sadly typical record, which may captivate some at first, but holds no real depth.
5/10
By Jessy Parker
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