REVIEW: ERRORS – HAVE SOME FAITH IN MAGIC
Since their second release, ‘Come Down With Me’, back in 2009, Glaswegian four-piece Errors have been getting more and more attention. And rightly so. And they continue to impress with their third full length album, ‘Have Some Faith in Magic’.
The opening track ‘Tusk’ starts off with some Animal Collective-style synth before bursting into a flurry of carefully placed instrumentation, which shows off the band’s spontaneity. Fuzz-fuelled electric guitar has hints of the band’s earlier offerings, while still fitting in perfectly with the synth-shoe gaze vibe of this record. The next song, ‘Magna Encarta’, takes it down a notch, with emotive keys and gentle build ups as each instrument adds to the sound, layer after layer.
Errors are really proving their skills as songwriters here, using vintage styles with a modern twist. For the first time in the band’s history, some vocals are used here but instead of taking centre stage, they’re used as another instrument completing the orchestra of Errors. Without really knowing what’s being said, the wailing really adds to the emotion of the composition – proving you don’t have to be over-obvious to make an impact.
‘Blank Media’ throws in some fun, with 80’s synths and sirens, without overdoing it. The song then fades out to a clear cut guitar melody – beautiful in its simplicity. ‘Pleasure Places’ includes that certain house music hand clap, yet the song still manages to harbour some originality. ‘The Knock’ could be described as the ballad of the album, but it fails to portray any real substance. The song seems lazy compared to the first half of the record, although this may be due to its limited instrumentation.
‘Canon’ is a kind of interlude within the album whilst ‘Earthscore’ gets back to business – stamping drum beats open the song, which then build to a raucous of vox effects – proving that the band are definitely going to make the most of this new ‘vocals’ thing. The production on ‘Barton Spring’ breaks the album up, with its intense reverb and vocal focus. The album finishes off with ‘Holus-Bolus’ – a fine combination of the band’s talents – before fading out to some scuzzy feedback.
‘Have Some Faith in Magic’ is a real triumph, proving you don’t need a traditional set up to make a great record. Errors have really come into their own and in the midst of bands such as Caribou and Toro Y Moi, the band still retains a certain individuality.
Words: Sammy Maine
