Following in the footsteps of acts such as The Presets, Cut Copy and The Midnight Juggernauts, Outrun have arrived, delivering a debut album that is sure to ride the success of the Australian electro rock explosion.
The album seems like an exercise in smart electro pop, music you can dance to, easily remember and brag to your friends about. For extra cred, mention that their name comes from a 1986 arcade game.
Outrun’s sound comes from a shared love of B-grade 80s videos and Brian Eno. Included for good measure is a sprinkling of late-70s Kraftwerk. Outrun manage to pull off some intricate rhythmical experiments but often vocals play second fiddle to the production of the tracks.
FutureNature is a dark, twisted, danceable debut record that kicks off with ‘Out of the Ashes’, an apocalyptic track that sees lead singer Dan Preston asking “What have I gotten myself into?” A question that sets the tone for the album.
All the electro boxes are ticked here, the 909 is working hard already, and the melodic interest is layered like a foundation for a house. The Melbourne boys revisit this formula unashamedly throughout ‘When the Light Goes Down’, the anthemic ‘Overdrive’ and the unrequited electro love song ‘Runaround’.
This effort will be music to the ears of the swelling population of Aussie electro kids, even if it feels like they’ve heard it before.
