The Radio Dept.
Running Out Of Love

Now that the trees are ablaze with yellow and red reflections and the rain falls relentlessly, the radio dept reconcile me with the introspective dimension of autumn. I had almost forgotten them, despite their album Lesser Matters (2003) being a staple for me as a teenager. Johan Duncanson and his bandmates return to the scene six years after their previous LP, forming an impeccable relationship with the wet season above our heads. The Swedish group, with over a decade of experience, confirms its musical identity with greater attention to detail that had already distinguished their previous LP, Clinging to a Scheme.
In this work, we find them venturing into somewhat new territories close to techno or dance while always maintaining a dreamy and intimate tone, their trademark. The sharper-than-usual synths and a hypnotic drum machine give the album a pronounced rhythm. The trio weaves their keyboards with renewed grace; just listen to the ending of Occupied to get an idea.

I consider the album divided into two parts: the first more martial and detached, but no less beautiful for it, while the second is warmer, recalling the beginnings of Lesser Matters.
The best tracks, in my opinion, are Swedish Guns, a dub march that melts away like snow in the sun during the chorus, and Can’t Be Guilty, which wraps us in a soft blanket made of the stuff of dreams, with a folk (electro-folk, perhaps) rhythm driven by the guitar.
Whether seen as a return or a confirmation (I lean towards the latter), it adds another piece to the mosaic of the Swedes' fine career.