New York band Violens gives a strong nod to ‘80s English pop on its debut full-length, Amoral. The group has several mixtapes and EPs under its belt, and has certainly perfected a retro-inspired sound that teeters on the line between ironic and inspired. Listening to Amoral, Gayngs, another ‘80s-influenced hipster band comes to mind. But to their credit, Violens has a sincerity that the Minneapolis supergroup lacks. The album is full of well-written, energetic pop songs. Many tracks, including “Could You Stand to Know?” and “Until It’s Unlit” have hints of The Smiths and New Order. Opening track “The Dawn of Your Happiness Is Rising” would sound right home in a John Hughes movie during the exciting 2nd act montage before things got, like, really heavy. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | The Drums, Gayngs, MGMT, Mystery Jets, New Order, Yeasayer