Arcade Fire return with a disco-influenced followup to 2010's The Suburbs. Sure, the pressure was on up after that out-of-nowhere Grammy win, but Reflektor definitely maintained their forward momentum. This time around they enlisted LCD Soundsytem frontman James Murphy on production duties, adding a bit more soul and groove to the group's arena-filling alternative rock sound. It's apparent from the opening title track that this is going to be a new chapter in the story of Arcade Fire. Similar to career defining moments like U2's Achtung Baby and Radiohead's Kid A, this is a band taking a risk and reinventing themselves right before our eyes. Don't worry, though - They have not shed their Indie Rock skin entirely - it's just that where they were previously content to mine the catalogs of the likes of Bruce Springsteen or Pavement, they are now knee-deep in Roxy Music and the Talking Heads. Murphy's touch can be felt most in the rhythmic interactions within the band, and the extended arrangements of many of the songs. The first half of the album is loaded with these moments, especially the dramatic synth rock of the title track and "Here Comes The Night Time." "Afterlife" is a perfect encapsulation of The Arcade Fire's sound at this point, as their music continues to develop into something more worldly and diverse. Limited edition 180 gram double vinyl pressing housed in a gatefold jacket with reflective artwork.

• 180g black double vinyl pressing
• housed in deluxe reflective gatefold jacket w/ reflective printed inner sleeves
• music label: Sonovox Records 2018
  

reviewed by YOU WANTED A HIT 11/2013