3-second, looping snippet of Metronomy’s new single ‘I’m Aquarius’ was the first piece of music to come since 2011, after it was posted on their website 2 weeks ago. The full-length song was then available to fans if they could identify the Aquarius constellation on ‘The Night Sky’ app. For those of us less familiar - or patient - with the intricacy of mobile astronomy, we’ve had to wait until the 11th to hear it.
Introduced once again by a clean-cut drum machine, the similarities to ‘English Riviera’ end there. ‘I’m Aquarius’ embodies a much darker guise than we’ve previously heard from the band: it encompasses something that echoes late 70’s post-punk in it’s simplicity and hollowness. Joe Mont’s vocals through the first verse are bathed in simplicity, on both production and content, but accompanied by mystic chanting; the raw directness of the song forces it to be unforgettably progressive; and although what makes this track so strong does momentarily bring itself into question during the mid-section when title line ‘I’m Aquarius’ is repeated a few too many times, we are unable to prevent the same lyric from duplicating itself in our minds for hours following first-listen.
However, having said all about lightlessness, the catchy low end and piano runs of the second half meet the eclipse created in the first 2 minutes of the song, falling on something comparable to Depeche Mode and New Order. It’s undoubtedly a grower for some listeners, but once you find yourself in the right temperament for its character, this is a record that will not only hold your attention for a while, but keep you attentive to the release of album ‘Love Letters’ coming in March next year.
Out of 10: 8/10
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Written by - Laith Whitwham
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