Hurts
Happiness

They have been compared to Depeche Mode, they have been seen as the reincarnation of a certain kind of slightly dark synth-pop from the '80s, we have danced to the notes of "Better Than Love" while delighting our eyes with a really well-crafted video.
So what do I do? I run to YouTube first and then dive into listening to "Happiness," their first LP, already anticipating a CD that promises to be a delightful surprise.

Already on YouTube, however, to be honest, there was a hint of disappointment: "Blood, Tears And Gold," so different from the launch single, absolutely did not make me scream masterpiece. More than a month later, I listen to the CD in its entirety... and the disappointment continues. Although the songs are frankly catchy, it remains "little pop," perfect music to listen to in the shower, but it certainly doesn't give you great emotions. I acknowledge that some songs are worth listening to ("Illuminated" with its slow pace and its chorus is indeed a successful little piece, for example), but often the lyrics are really flat. Many songs deal with heartbreak... only the theme is not renewed. The words and chosen images really leave much to be desired ("Stay with me Evelyn, don't leave me with a medecine?" what kind of rhyme is that?). Slow rhythms, pleasant arrangements but nothing that really grabs your guts, naive and easy lyrics. Even the duet with Kylie Minogue, and we know that the lady, if she puts her mind to it, can really impart an elegiac and poignant note to a song (obviously I'm thinking of "Where the Wild Roses Grow" with Nick Cave) is not all that brilliant: "Devotion" remains a bland track.
And it's really a shame because some songs would be worth listening to. "Silver Lining," the first track, promised you the world for what was to follow and, likewise, the sweet "The Water," built on piano and strings, could have closed a remarkable CD. In the same way, the already mentioned "Illuminated" and "Better Than Love" are indeed beautiful moments of the CD. However, the final impression remains that the band had four or five good songs and that the rest was composed without inspiration, just to fill gaps in the LP to be produced.
I will get, when and if it comes out, their second work and hope that by then they will have found their poetic and musical voice. Ended the hesitations between an electronica with a driving rhythm and ballads without poetry; ended the chasm between the metaphorical text of "The Water" and the foolish words of a "Blood, Tears and Gold." These guys have potential - a charismatic frontman, cute, with a beautiful voice; dexterity in electronic accompaniment - but they are still offering a pop that is too anonymous and hasn't found its way yet. Let's wait and see.