Muse
Simulation Theory

Muse have been grappling with the concept of an "album" for a few years, but they always end up releasing music in the most classic and common format.

Perhaps because giving form, substance, and coherence to a series of songs is an activity that fascinates them too much to abandon its fundamental concepts. That's how what was supposed to be a series of disconnected singles became this "Simulation Theory," the eighth studio album by the band led by Matt Bellamy; and, paradoxically, one of the most successful and cohesive works of the British trio.

The basic idea is in antithesis to the previous album "Drones": primarily lyrically, as this time, instead of critiquing the concept of modernity, they fully embrace it, using it as the engine for the new work. Accordingly, their sound evolves as well: the three abandon the return to guitars and rock sound of the previous work to align with fresher and more contemporary sounds, with tracks crafted using Pro-Tools and built around more synthetic and less guitar-oriented sounds.

To achieve this, they choose an impressive lineup of producers: the ally Rich Costey (the architect of the sound of two excellent albums like "Black Holes And Revelations" and "Absolution"), Mike Elizondo, Shellback, and even Timbaland. All professionals more or less associated with the best (and worst) pop scene of the past ten years. The result is, curiously, quite compact and coherent.

Muse draw heavily from the 1980s imagery (a sea in which they predictably swim comfortably, after all, entrusting the album cover to Stranger Things' Kyle Lambert says it all) and create an absolutely convincing record, that spans various atmospheres almost always finding a fresh and dynamic solution.

"Algorithm" opens by blending vintage video game sounds with piano that couldn't be more classic, recalling episodes like "Apocalypse Please" and "Supremacy," and sets the coordinates for the entire album; "The Dark Side" and especially "Pressure" come closer to the typical Muse sound, especially the latter (which is no surprise as it is a sort of reaction to the pressures from longtime fans for the band to produce pieces more akin to its beginnings). "Propaganda" draws heavily from Prince and is the piece curated by Timbaland, who works discreetly and non-invasively, giving the track a sharp and decisive stride that fits perfectly; "Something Human" is dry and vaguely folk, "Break It To Me" arranges a typical Rage Against The Machine riff in an RnB style, "Get Up And Fight" alternates a verse enriched by Tove Lo on backing vocals with an explosive refrain in full Muse style. "Blockades" is born as a sort of update of the old "New Born," and anticipates the inevitably epic closure of "The Void" (in between the well-known and debated single "Dig Down").

This "Simulation Theory" is a good album, one of Muse's best. It will definitely be a much-discussed album, definitively splitting the fanbase of the hugely popular British band.

We will see whether this turn will prove Bellamy and company right or not.

Best track: Blockades